Rise of the Phoenix
by James Spookie
Summary: Voldemort has fallen, and the Aurors are hunting down the Death Eaters while the Ministry is in chaos. Sirius Black has returned after 17 years in exile just as the bodies of young women are turning up. Who's behind it? and why are these women being targeted?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: As promised, here is the rewrite. I hope that you enjoy it, and i hope to have more chapters up soon. Thanks for your patience.

1\. And So It Begins

It was nearing noon as Gilbert Harlough and his wife of twenty-seven years, Constance, took their daily walk along the cliffs that over looked the sea. The couple held hands like they did when they first started dating all those many years ago, talking about things with no more importance than how hot they felt the summer was going to be this year.

The couple had walked this route nearly every day for the last three years, and was one of their favorite things they did together. It was a time to relax and unwind with one another and reconnect as friends, partners and lovers. They had walked this route so often that they both joked that they could do it with their eyes closed. And it was for this reason that they spotted the body so easily.

Gil, is that… Is that a hand?" Constance asked her husband, pointing to the thing that had caught her attention. It was sticking out of some high grass that grew along the path. Gilbert squinted his eyes as he and his wife slowed their pace. Gilbert held up his hand to halt his wife as he cautiously approached what was quite clearly someone's hand sticking out of the brush. Gilbert stopped short when he saw the rest of the body and looked at his wife, his face having gone quite pale.

"Do you have your mobile?" Gilbert asked trying to sound calm and failing

"Of course." Constance replied, feeling anxiety welling up in her chest along with the icy chill of horror. She reached into her pocket to retrieve her telephone and started towards her husband who halted her again.

"Call the police, Connie. Stay there and call them now." He said, looking as if he might retch.

"What is it?" Constance asked over the roar of the coastal wind.

"Call the police immediately!" Gilbert shouted.

"What is it?" Constance asked again when her husband turned away and bent, losing the contents of his stomach. Curiosity got the better of her and Constance nearly sprinted to see what was frightening her husband so deeply.

Her terrified scream echoed over the county.

* * *

Aurors Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks parked their car just outside of the police roadblock and got out. They walked towards the scene looking for all the world as if they belonged among the muggle police and investigators who were working on the scene, searching and documenting everything. No one would ever guess just by looking at the pair that there was anything out of the ordinary.

Kingsley, a seventeen year veteran of the British Auror Corp, was dressed in a dark blue suit with a long black overcoat and a gold hoop in his left ear. He was a tall imposing figure with dark skin and a cleanly shaven head. He had piercing dark eyes that took in everything. He was a man who simply radiated authority with every step he took and the muggle police couldn't help but take him in as he passed them.

In comparison, Nymphadora Tonks had been an Auror for just over five years. She was one of the youngest Magical Law Enforcement Officers currently on the force and had already earned a medal for service thanks to her efforts in a very recent battle against terrorists at the Ministry of Magic. Tonks, as she preferred to be known as, had piled her mouse brown hair into a messy bun on top of her head and her ill-fitting black suit hid the fact that she was a stunningly attractive woman with a classic hour glass shape to her that would have left every man she passed drooling. She had a soft, heart shaped face with plump lips ripe for kissing and sultry dark eyes that were carefully taking in the scene around her.

The pair approached a young policeman who looked to be fresh out of the police academy and who was rather pale at the moment. He barely looked up at them as they approached as he worked to close off the area with police crime scene tape.

"Agent Shacklebolt, MI5. Who's in charge here?" Kinglsey asked the officer, flashing an official looking badge.

"That'd be Inspector Todd," The officer said, glancing over his shoulder. "The one in the brown suit standing over there with the coroner."

"Thank you." Kingsley replied and he and Tonks approached the lead investigator with purpose.

"Inspector Todd?" Kingsley asked holding up a badge and identification.

"Who the ruddy hell are you?" Todd asked, looking foul. He was shorter than Kingsley and much more irritable looking. He was balding and had a bit of a paunch. His clothes were ill fitting and had the look of a man who recently lost a lot of weight quickly. He was tossed his cigarette onto the ground and snuffed it out with his shoe, making Kingsley frown deeper.

"Agent Shacklebolt. This is Agent Tonks. We're from MI5."

"MI5? What the hell you doing here?" Todd asked with surprise.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Kingsley asked, while Tonks listened carefully though she was staring at the body that was covered with a sheet. The coroner was kneeling beside the victim, writing on a clipboard.

"Married couple came across the victim on their evening walk. Young girl, about eighteen. She was naked and covered in weird markings." Todd said still eyeing Kingsley with distaste. Kingsley thought that Todd must have had some bad experiences with the government branch of law enforcement.

"Do you know the cause of death?" Kingsley pressed and Todd shook his head. gesturing to the Coroner who looked up.

"We can't figure it out. There are no wounds that we can see. She just... looks... Maybe you should just see for yourselves." He said motioning to the body. Tonks knelt down and flipped back the sheet revealing the girl's face. Her skin was pulled back tightly over her skull, revealing her teeth. Her eyes were open wide and rolled up into her skull revealing the whites, which were impossibly clear and almost looked as if they were made of glass. Tonks was handed a pair of latex gloves which she slipped on her hands before she pulled the sheet back a bit more revealing that the girl was completely naked, and her body was emaciated as if all her innards had been remover and her skeleton had been covered by fresh skin that was too small for her. The skin itself was also rather disturbing as the girl was covered from head to toe in black tattoos.

"I've seen a lot in my career," The coroner began. "But this beats the hell out of me. I can't even give you a time of death."

"Why is our Majesty's finest so interested in this?" Inspector Todd asked.

"The initial report we received told us that this fit a similar case in Blackpool two weeks ago."

Kingsley stated matter of factly before turning to his partner. "What do you see?"

"She's clean." Tonks started. "Extremely clean. She wasn't dragged here."

"We didn't see any footprints or anything like that. The couple who found her had been by this way only an hour or so before." Inspector Todd added.

Tonks lifted the girls hand delicately and slowly turned it, examining it closely. "No signs that she was restrained. No bruising or anything like that. Her nails look as if she'd been to some swanky salon or something. This is professional work. Other than that... I'm flummoxed to what killed her."

"Did you find anything Inspector?" Kingsley asked, turning back to Todd who was pulling a fresh cigarette.

"We've been over this area with fine toothed combs, and didn't even find a bent blade of grass," Todd said gruffly. "It's like she just appeared here out of thin air. Strangest god damned thing I've ever seen."

"Very well," Kingsley said. "We're going to have our people pick up the body, so please do not start an autopsy. Fill out whatever paperwork you need, but do not do anything to the body."

"Are you out of your tree?" Todd demanded.

"I mean it Inspector. This is a matter of national security, and we would appreciate your cooperation," Kingsley said, looking the Inspector right in the eye. Todd held the bigger man's gaze for a moment before he finally gave a slow nod, his eyes losing their focus a bit.

"Thank you," Kingsley said as he turned, with Tonks following.

"Tell me what you noticed" Kingsley said when they were safely back in their car. Tonks took a deep breath, centering herself as she prepared to tell her partner all she'd noticed.

"She definitely wasn't tortured. Though I would say that she had been petrified, or put in a body bind curse recently. The Muggles wouldn't have been able to tell, but her fingers felt rigid, like they were still under the curse. You know that your fingers and toes are the last to be free of that sort of thing. They always hold onto the stiffness."

"Interesting, go on." Shacklebolt encouraged his young partner.

"Those were Runes on her body, I'm sure of it. And they weren't carved into her, they were tattooed. That's a bit odd because if it was for a ritual, one would want the rues carved into the victim. I think I recognized one of the Runes on her hand as the symbol for expiation, but I can't be sure. There were so many Runes, and they were all connected. Whoever did it to her was looking for a very specific outcome."

Kingsley nodded, considering it all.

* * *

The trip back to London didn't take very long, thanks to the magical car they had been assigned. It was not unlike the Knight Bus, a popular mode of transportation among magicals in that it was fast and could slip through very narrow spaces. It also helped that Muggles could not see it when the driver didn't want it to be seen.

Kingsley parked the car in the Ministry garage and checked it back in while Tonks transfigured her clothes back to something she considered to be more human, which for her meant knee high engineer boots, black tights, artistically torn denim shorts, punk rock t-shirt and a leather motorcycle coat. Her dark brown tresses morphed back into her favorite short spiky style in a shade of pink that could burn out a person's corneas.

When Kingsley turned around, he could only shake his head. Aurors were supposed to be as inconspicuous as possible, and Nymphadora Tonks prided herself on standing out. If it wasn't for her Metamorphugus abilities, she'd never be allowed out of the office.

"One day, that pink hair of yours is going to get you, and likely someone else killed," Kingsley grunted. Tonks merely smiled.

"Hardly," Tonks smirked. "You know as well as I do I blend into the muggle world like this better than half the wizards in this building alone."

Kingsley rolled his eyes.

"I'm going to go see Willoughby about getting the girl's body picked up before I report to Rufus. As soon as we know who she is we'll find out where she was seen last and see if we can't pick up some kind of trail."

"What do you want me to do?" Tonks asked.

Nothing." Kingsley smiled. "Go home. Get some rest. We won't know any more until tomorrow anyway. You did well today."

"Are you sure?" Tonks said, now eyeing the floo network with interest. "I could stay and…"

"Tonks, I've got it covered," Kingsley smirked. "Besides, didn't you tell me that your… how did you put it? Your 'Ginger Stallion' was back from Egypt?"

The grin that appeared on Tonks' face actually made Kingsley shiver with concern. The young woman practically danced towards the waiting floos, her hips rocking in a very sensuous fashion and Kingsley shook his head, fighting down his laughter.

"Kingsley, you're the best. It's been far too long since I sank my teeth into a nice tasty piece of man flesh." Tonks shouted over her shoulder.

"Does he know you call him that?" Kingsley called back and then held up his hand when Tonks turned and made to answer. "Never mind. I don't think I want to know any more about your sex life than you've already tortured me with."

Tonks didn't even wave as she practically sprinted to the nearest floo and tossed in a handful of silvery floo powder and was gone in a flash of green fire. Kingsley silently prayed that this "Ginger Stallion" was at least in good physical health. He hated to think of what Tonks might do to the poor man when she got her claws into him.

"Ah to be young and hormonal again." Kingsley smiled to himself as he headed deeper into the Ministry to report to his supervisor. As he strolled through the atrium he noted how well reconstruction was progressing. It had only been two months since the most vile and feared wizard ever had dueled against the most beloved wizard of the age. Kingsley felt a pang of sorrow cut through his heart as he remembered the aftermath of the duel.

Albus Dumbledore had died a few days earlier following the final battle with Voldemort. The Daily Prophet reported that his death was due to his advanced age, but Kingsley and most everyone who had seen the battle first hand knew that Dumbledore had simply exhausted himself and incurred too many wounds for his old body to recover from. The old Headmaster's was set to be laid to rest tomorrow afternoon, and Kingsley and many other Aurors were assigned protection detail as it was expected that Death Eaters might try and get revenge for the loss of their master. Kingsley hoped they would show a modicum of respect for the man regardless of their personal feelings.

Things had been peaceful for most of the magical world following that night, but for the Ministry and the Aurors, things had been quite stressful. Firstly, with Voldemort assumed vanquished, the Aurors were primarily focused on bringing in his followers. Most had gone to ground. Some had turned themselves in, claiming to have been imperiused by the Dark Lord again. As it was not something that could be proven, and in most of those cases, gold had once again exchanged hands, those witches and wizards were set free. Kingsley felt his stomach turn every time he thought of that.

The Auror Office was relatively quiet for this time of day. Some Aurors were handling their paperwork, and Kingsley grimaced slightly at the thought of the report he was going to have to fill out later.

Kingsley also noted several of his fellow Aurors gathered together and talking with excitement. Kingsley couldn't hear what they were saying, and paid it no mind as he was focused on his next destination.

He knocked on the door to the office of the head of the Auror Department. He heard the gruff, gravelly voice of Rufus Scrimgeour beckon for him to enter and he opened the door, and did a double take when he found the Head of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones sitting in one of the chairs across the desk from his boss.

"Ah, Kingsley, how'd it go?" Scrimgeour asked. He was a tall, wiry man with dark blue eyes and a grizzled, unshaven face. He had a deep scar from his left temple straight down to his jaw, something he had received during the first war with Lord Voldemort. The wizard who gave it to him never faced the wizarding court as Scrimgeour had ended the man's life and saved three muggle teenaged girls. Only one other man had as exemplary a record as Rufus Scrimgeour, and that man had retired several years ago. At least he'd retired from law enforcement. His appearance at the final battle told everyone that Alastor Moody would never be finished fighting the forces of darkness.

"The Muggles cooperated fine just as always. We told them it was a potential threat to the country's security as usual. Unfortunately we won't know much more until the victim is examined, but if I'm honest… I think we may have something very bad to worry about." Kingsley began.

"Do you suspect Death Eaters?" Amelia asked. To her amazement, Kingsley shook his head.

"To be honest, it doesn't fit their standard MO." Kingsley shook his head. "Nothing about this matches their past atrocities."

"Explain," Rufus commanded motioning to the empty seat next to Amelia.

"You recall my report on the girl we found in Blackpool?" Kingsley began.

"Samantha Pike, correct?" Rufus asked. his light blue eyes gave the impression he was looking through Kingsley.

"That's right," he nodded.

"As I recall, the cause of death was loss of blood, but there didn't seem to be any wounds on her, and she was also covered in runes, but you couldn't explain what they were for. Even the Unspeakable were less than helpful, am I correct?"

"Spot on," Kingsley nodded. "This one was exactly the same. Runes all over her body, no visible wounds, naked and left out in the open so it would be easy to find and in both cases they were found by people who'd been in the area recently. The couple who found the girl tonight had walked by that spot about an hour before and hadn't seen her."

"The last girl was found by hunters, correct?" Rufus asked and Kingsley nodded.

"I'm thinking that we're supposed to find the bodies." The dark skinned man said morbidly. "As if it's all a part of some game. My partner said she thought she recognized some of the runes on the girl's body, but she also said that here were so many that she couldn't be sure."

"So you think these two bodies are connected then?" Amelia Bones asked, taking her monocle out and wiping it with her robe as she stared at Kingsley.

"I believe so, yes." Kingsley nodded. "I also think that this is only just beginning."

"Great, that's all we need now. A gods be damned serial killer," Rufus sighed, leaning back in his seat. "As if we didn't have enough to worry about with everything else going on."

Amelia rose from her seat, her expression grim. "I'd like to be kept up to date on this one Rufus. Have a copy of the examiner's report on my desk as soon as you can."

"As you ask." Rufus nodded.

"Now if you excuse me, I have to meet with the Minister of Magic. It seems he's very worried about the newest member of the Wizengamot. Quite frankly, I don't blame him. After all these years…" Amelia Bones sighed, a dark look passing aver her face. She seemed to lose herself in thought for a moment before coming back to the present.

"I'd like to meet with you first thing in the morning Rufus. I'd like to go over the arrangements for the funeral one last time." Amelia said and Rufus rose from his seat as Amelia turned toward the door. "It's so very strange. I kind of always thought Dumbledore would be around… like he'd out live us all."

"A man that powerful and intelligent," Rufus shrugged. "It would be easy to believe something like that. He was truly a great man and he is going to be missed very badly."

"Indeed." Goodnight gentlemen." Amelia nodded to both and then left them alone.

"I still can't believe Thicknese won the election." Rufus grumbled after the door was shut. "As if Fudge wasn't bad enough."

"Thicknese's supporters have deep pockets." Kingsley remarked.

"Indeed they do." Rufus sighed before turning back to Kingsley. "I'm putting you in charge of this case Kingsley. Let's try and get to the bottom of this before any more young girls turn up in the same condition. I also want to be kept up to date on it. How soon will you be able to get me your report?"

"First thing in the morning I should think. I sent Willoughby to fetch the girl's body, and I believe Croaker is the examiner tonight. He's fast, but thorough." Kingsley said, rising to his feet.

"That's fine." Rufus sighed and shook his head. "But you can wait a bit on the report. I want you to go home and rest up. I need you and the others at their best tomorrow. One last thing before you go, how did your new partner do out there?"

"Tonks was professional. Very observant. I think she has the makings of a fine investigator." Kingsley smiled.

"Good. Don't pull punches with her. Teach her. Work her. I haven't been as impressed with someone since you started Kingsley." Rufus smiled and Kingsley returned it.

"I'll teach her everything you taught me." he chuckled deeply.

"See that you do. Now get out of here. I expect you back here bright and early tomorrow." Rufus said, waving Kingsley out of his office.

Kingsley gave his superior one final nod before leaving the office.. Tomorrow was going to be an excruciatingly long day. Hogwarts was going to be hosting quite the array of officials from all over the world, and the Aurors were going to have quite the job seeing to their protection. Kingsley hated to think about how long the day was going to be and then another thought occurred to him, and he stopped just before shutting Rufus's office door and poked his head back in.

"Who's the new member of the Wizengamot that has the Minister so worried?"

"You haven't heard?" Rufus quirked an eyebrow.

* * *

The blinding flashes of the camera began the moment the doors of the courtroom opened. Roughly fifty reporters and photographers had gathered as soon as word leaked of the bombshell that had dropped within the court that day. Reporters began shouting questions of the Wizengamot members, most of whom pushed past the bothersome reporters and headed for their private offices, or their homes, some of them looking very surly.

Chief Warlock, Roland Everard cleared his throat quite loudly as he approached the anxious reporters and held up his hands to silence them so he could address them. The Chief Warlock was a gruff looking man with a large belly and watery looking eyes. His long thinning steel gray hair was tied back with a black ribbon and a gold watch hung from his waist coat. Everard had recently been voted into his position following the battle at the ministry when the former Chief Warlock, Albus Dumbledore, could no longer execute his duties. Dumbledore had resigned from the post and Everard had been nominated and voted into replacing the former Chief Warlock.

Next to Everard stood the man that was the cause of all this commotion. A tall man with long black hair and a goatee. He had bright brown eyes and an easy smile that charmed nearly all the witches who glanced it. And next to this man, holding his hand and his arm possessively was a stunningly beautiful blonde woman who looked a slightly overwhelmed at the moment.

"This afternoon," Everard began, causing the reporters to go quiet so they could take down all the Chief Warlock said. "The esteemed members of the Wizengamot were petitioned by Sirius Orion Black, the last scion of The Most Ancient and Noble House of Black for his family's seat on this noble body. I am pleased to say that we members voted to return the House of Black onto the court."

Chief Warlock Everard was clearly struggling to keep smiling and Sirius had to fight down his own smug smile. Everard had been one of those who had voted against allowing him to claim his family seat. In fact the court had nearly been split in its decision, and Sirius knew why. He'd been warned of this many years ago. No one trusted him. Many still believed that it had been he who had betrayed the Potters to their deaths. He had disappeared that night nearly seventeen years ago and had not been seen or heard from since. In many people's hearts, this had only solidified their belief of his guilt.

"I am not alone is saying that we are most eager to see what contributions Lord Black brings to the table, and how he will serve the betterment to the magical world. Ladies and Gentlemen, Lord Sirius Black." Everard began clapping and the reporters followed his example as Sirius stepped forward with his wife Annalise right at his side. Sirius allowed the applause for a second before waving his hands to settle everyone down again.

"I know that you all have a million questions for me, and I do intend to answer as many as I can, though I won't be doing it today. I will of course be doing interviews in the coming days as they are scheduled, but for now, I will try and answer a few starting with you there in the blue robes." Sirius said as he pointed to a younger man with a hopeful look.

"Claude Jorkins, sir. Knight's Herald. Mister Black, where have you been these past seventeen years?"

"Traveling." Sirius smiled. Anna looked on proudly and squeezed his hand in support. "I wanted to see the world, and have accomplished that. Now, after my marriage to this beautiful woman beside me, and some deep soul searching, I felt it was time to come home, and do what I could to better this country. Next question?"

"Rita Skeeter, Daily prophet." A woman with blonde hair, gaudy green horn rimmed glasses and several gold teeth smiled. "Why return now? And why take up your family's seat when you've shown nothing but contempt for you family until now?"

Sirius's smile faltered a bit here. "While it's true that I did not agree with my family, they instilled in me a strong sense of responsibility. It is my responsibility to help lead our society to a stronger, brighter future."

"Abigail Edwards, Witch Weekly," A young, pretty brunette said with a charming smile. "Lord Black, you said that gorgeous woman on your arm is your wife? Who is she, how did you meet?"

Sirius gave a roguish sort of smile as he wrapped an arm around Anna's slim waist and pulled her a little closer. Anna smiled brightly as she looked at her husband.

"This is my wife, Lady Annalise Linnea Johannson Black." He said. "And how we met is a very long and romantic tale indeed."

There was a surge of flashes as the photographers snapped pictures of the new Lady Black. The couple waved and then turned to follow Chief Warlock Everard who told the reporters that that would be all for now before guiding Lord and Lady Black to his office, where he shut the door tightly to give the three some privacy.

"Well, was it everything you hoped it would be Lord Black?" Everard asked in a brisk tone. Sirius noted immediately that the Chief Warlock wasn't happy. He felt bad for the older man. He was replacing Albus Dumbledore, and that alone must have put an immense weight on his shoulders. Sirius really didn't wish to burden the man further, and from what he'd learned of the Chief Warlock over the past few weeks, wanted him as an ally.

"Chief Warlock, I'm not here to cause trouble, despite your misgivings about me." Sirius said.

"I know your family well Black, and I'm not a fan of its core beliefs." Everard said coldly.

"Neither am I. Chief Warlock." Sirius said, all joviality gone from his voice now. "I want more for our people than the status quo. We shouldn't be catering to Purebloods just because they're rich. Muggleborns can help bring this country out of the Dark Ages. I've seen it for myself. And I did my homework, I know you believe as I do. We're on the same side. And if you allow me to, I will prove it to you in time."

Everard looked slightly taken aback by this.

"I know your record, and I know you're an honorable man." Sirius said, holding out his hand. "If he could have, I know Dumbledore would have supported you becoming the Chief Warlock. Let me help you continue his work."

Everard looked at the offered hand and then at Sirius face, arching an eyebrow in curiosity. He then took the offered hand and shook it once, though he still looked rather skeptical.

"Time will tell." Everard said before shaking Black's hand and grimacing. "Time will tell."

"That could have gone much worse." Annalise stated in her thick Swedish accent when they were alone, walking towards the floo network.

"You're right." Sirius agreed. "They could have carted me off to Azkaban. But it got the job done. We needed this diversion."

"This is only a diversion?" Annalise looked surprised. "The way you've been talking about it, I thought you intended to really…"

"I do." Sirius cut her off, and glanced around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "I have every intention to make this country better for Muggleborns, and for our children."

"Our children?" Annalise looked up with a smile and Sirius bent and kissed her softly.

"For our children, and our children's children." He said before his smile fell away and he continued. "But this whole spectacle of the 'last Black returning to his home' nonsense is to keep people's attention on me. If everyone is wondering what I'm up to…"

"No one will be paying much attention to other things happening that might scare them and cause them to light the proverbial torches." Annalise nodded. "Clever."

"I meant what I said in there." Sirius continued. "If I can do something to help others, and make this country better, than by god I'm going to do it. But I'm going to have my work cut out for me. There's too much prejudice, and far too much gold changing hands to accomplish anything meaningful right away."

"How do you plan to start?"" Annalise asked curiously, and Sirius smiled.

"By putting a face to their prejudice." Sirius smiled. "I'm going to go see an old friend and offer him a job."

"Remus?" Annalise began to smile as well. "Oh I can't wait to meet your friend. You've told me so many stories. He sounds wonderful."

"He was, but I fear he's not going to be too happy to see me. At least not right away." Sirius's smile fell a bit. He then checked his watch and took his wife's hand. "We'd better go now. We still have to go check on the house before we get dinner."

* * *

Tonks lay gasping for breath, and wiped at her sweaty face as she grinned at the gorgeous redheaded man who was lying next to her equally sweaty and lacking of breath.

"Bloody fucking hell lover." Tonks asked. "Did some one hit you with a lust hex or something. I don't know that I'll be able to walk anytime soon. My legs are shaking so much."

"What can I say?' Bill Weasley smiled over at her. "I missed you a lot this time."

"Really?" She laughed. "I couldn't tell."

She rolled and kissed him, causing him to growl playfully.

"I need water and a rest before we go again." He said and she slapped his bare chest.

"I think I'm going to need a day or two before we go again." She laughed. He wrapped his strong arms around her waist and held her tightly against him.

"How long are you going to be around this time?" She asked, softly kissing his jaw.

"I was going to talk to you about that before you jumped me." Bill grinned. Tonks gave him a playful nip on his ear lobe. "The goblins offered me a pretty good promotion. And I'm thinking about taking it. But I wanted to talk to you about a few things before I accepted."

Tonks pulled back enough to where she could look him in the eye, and for the first time in the nearly six years they'd been lovers, he looked nervous. And that made her begin to feel nervous.

"Okay…" She said apprehensively.

"We've been doing this whole physical thing for a while now, and it's been good. We always said that it worked for us because of our jobs. We never had any sort of rules or expectations. But I've been thinking a lot lately about the future, and what I want for my life." Bill said staring at Tonks, and she felt a knot in her stomach tightening.

It was true that their relationship had really been one of convenience. Bill would roll back into the country every six months or so, and for a week, the two of them would rut like animals. There was an unspoken understanding between them that whatever happened while they were apart was none of the other's business. It worked for them.

But if Tonks were going to be honest, she loved Bill. She'd loved him since her fifth year at Hogwarts. Sure she had dated his brother Charlie for a bit, but it had Bill who'd had her heart. They'd been friends, but had never been close. At least not until Tonks finished her first year of training with the Aurors, and had run into Bill who'd gotten quite drunk while he'd been out with his mates. She's taken him home and looked after him, and when he'd sobered up, they'd talked a lot.

The next time he'd come home had been the first time they'd made love. They'd kept in touch while he'd been in Egypt, and he'd sometimes sent her really cool things he'd found in the tombs. But their relationship was based on sex, and little else. But it had been enough for Tonks. But now she was sure it was about to end. The way he was talking now made her believe that it was time to move on to someone respectable. Wife material.

"So what do you think?" Bill asked and Tonks had to shake herself. She hadn't been listening and now realized that he'd asked something important.

"I…what did you say?" She asked, fighting back tears.

"I asked what you thought. About you and me having a go at something more than sex." Bill said looking a bit worried.

"Wait." Tonks shook her head again, trying to wrap her mind around the sudden change that had just occurred. "You… you want to date me? Like boyfriend girlfriend? Like going out to dinner, and parties and walks on the beach?"

"With the potential to see if we could have something more one day?" Bill added.

"You want to marry me?" Tonks asked, now finding it hard to breathe.

"Look, the Goblins want me to head up their acquisitions department here in England. Which means I'll be home all the time. Well, at least in England anyway. Which means I can spend more time with you. When they first offered it to me, I started thinking about my life, and I feel like I'm close to ready to settle down. I realized that I want a family. And when I started thinking about who I want that family with, I realized how much I've shared with you through all our letters. I don't think there's anyone in the world who knows me as well as you do. I don't know anyone half as well as I know you. Dora, I love you, and I'd like to see if we can be something more than just fuck buddies. So what do you think?"

Tonks bent forward and kissed him hard. She felt his arms tightened around her waist. When she broke the kiss she pulled back a bit and smiled.

"I think that you better hold on because there is no way I will be able to express how happy that makes me in just words." She said as she reached down and grasped his manhood.


	2. Chapter 2

2\. You have no idea just how special you are.

Nymphadora Tonks stood at the edge of the Black Lake, staring out to the small island where Albus Dumbledore had been laid to rest only an hour ago. She'd never been to the island herself, but she had known a few people in school who'd snuck off in the middle of the night with their boyfriend or girlfriend, and consummated their relationship there. Now it would be sacred, and she doubted any student would ever venture out for a midnight rendezvous.

The day had been nearly perfect. There hadn't been a cloud in the sky, and the sun had been bright and warm. Birds sang a tranquil melody and there had been the lightest of breezes. If it hadn't been such a sad occasion it would have been beautiful. Hundreds of dignitaries and ambassadors from at least forty countries had come to pay their respects to one of the greatest wizards of all time. Many of them had given speeches, eulogizing what an amazing man Dumbledore had been. They had talked about his many accomplishments, and his selflessness. But Tonks didn't really care about any of that.

She had had two encounters with Albus Dumbledore that she would always remember, and always cherish. The first happened when she was thirteen, and a student at Hogwarts. She had been crying because some of her classmates had been making fun of her name. A name she had hated her whole life. Nymphadora. It was the worst. At least her father made it a bit better when he called her Dora, but her mother refused to be that kind.

"Your name is Nymphadora, and you should be proud to have a name as unique as you are." Andromeda Tonks would often say.

Dumbledore had found her on the seventh floor. She had looked frightful. She was having trouble control her Metamorphmagus abilities because she had been so emotional. It was a first for her, and it was making her even more upset.

"What is the trouble?" He had asked, scaring her as she had believed she had been alone. She tried to pretend that she hadn't been crying, but the old man hadn't been fooled at all. And with only a bit more gentle prodding he had gotten her to confess what had disturbed her.

"Our parents first gift can sometimes feel like a curse to us." Dumbledore smiled gently as he sat next to her. "Look at me, my mother and father could not settle on a middle name for me, so they gave me three."

Tonks hadn't been able to stop herself from laughing, and Dumbledore had chuckled as well.

"Yet, without our names, how would we be identified? How would our deeds be attributed to us? You should not be so focused on your name, but rather focus on the things that others will come to know belong to that name." He had said, and Tonks nodded, thinking about what he had said.

"But how can I get people to stop making fun of my name?" Tonks asked. "Without hexing everyone because honestly that would be a lot of hexes, and I'd likely exhaust myself."

"Not to mention the numerous detentions you would likely accrue." Dumbledore added. Tonks had agreed with a heavy sigh and a nod.

"Perhaps I have an answer."

Tonks remembered how he had suggested that she only respond when someone used her surname. She had really liked that, and from then on she was Tonks. Just Tonks. Anyone, with the exception of her mother and father, would be ignored if they called her Nymphadora.

The second time she spoke to Dumbledore that stuck out in her mind was the night he and her Mentor had come to her home. She had been on the Auror force for just about two years at that point, and the Tri-Wizard tournament had just ended with the three champions bodies being discovered at the center of the maze.

Alastor Moody and Dumbledore had asked her to help them because Voldemort had returned. Tonks had scoffed at the idea at first. No one could come back from the dead. It was impossible. But Dumbledore had swayed her.

It had meant a lot to her that they had asked her to join in the fight against the Darkness. She had joined the Order of the Phoenix that night, and for the next three years had helped to fight the Death Eaters. That unofficial war had culminated in the final battle fought in the Ministry just over two months ago.

She could still see that battle in her mind. She had just managed to defeat three Death Eaters, and was about to help Moody, when there was a bright flash and an explosion that had knocked her off her feet. She, and nearly everyone else, found themselves entranced by the epic duel. Tonks didn't even know that Voldemort had been in the Ministry until she saw him and Dumbledore fighting. From the look of it, they'd been battling for a while by this point. Both of them looked quite the worse for wear. Dumbledore's robes were burnt and covered in dust and dirt. They were torn in a few places, and his snow white beard was charred. He was bleeding from a cut above his eye, and yet he was radiating power.

Voldemort looked just as battered. Both combatants circled and traded spells, but neither seemed able to gain the advantage. Tonks remembered the smell of ozone in the air, and the way Dumbledore's face had been set as he flourished his wand. She remembered the thunderclap that had nearly deafened her when the old Headmaster's spell had collided with Voldemort's, and the silence that followed when both men were knocked apart. It had been Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy who had acted first, rushing to their master and disapparating with him before anyone could stop them. It seemed like it was all over after that. No one had heard from the Death Eaters since. They had all gone to ground after that.

"I heard you coming a mile away old man." Tonks said, tearing herself out of her thoughts.

"Good to know my training wasn't wasted." Came the reply. Tonks turned slightly as a grizzled, scarred man with a large electric blue eye stumped towards her. Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody was one of the most respected and decorated Auror in Britain's history.

He'd retired right after Tonks had finished her training and joined the Aurors. She had been the last student he'd ever trained, and they had become good friends while serving in the Order of the Phoenix under Dumbledore.

"I heard you stumping all the way from the castle." Tonks smirked and Moody glowered at her.

"Kingsley seems quite pleased with you. He was telling me you two have been investigating a couple of murders." Moody said in his normal gruff tone. Tonks gave a nod as she turned her attention back to the island where Dumbledore had been laid to rest.

"It's a weird one for sure." Tonks sighed. "It's not like anything I've ever even heard of before."

"Kingsley said the same." Moody nodded.

"Did he tell you why it's so weird?" Tonks asked.

"He said the girls were completely drained, and found naked, covered in tattoos." Moody replied.

"Runes." Tonks said. "They're runes. I know they are, but I can't figure out what they're for. There are so many of them, I can't even begin to decipher them."

"Don't push yourself." Moody said, reaching out and grasping her shoulder. "If you push, you'll miss something vital."

"I know." Tonks nodded. "I remember."

They lapsed into silence for a moment before Moody heaved a great sigh. "Damned fool."

"What?" Tonks looked over at the retired Auror with wide surprised eyes.

"Sorry lass." Moody grimaced. "I was just thinking of the last time I spoke with Albus. He knew he was dying and kept telling me that I needed to prepare. That it wasn't over yet."

"You mean You-Know-Who?" Tonks asked, a chill crawling up her spine.

"Aye." Moody nodded. "He never believed that bastard was dead all those years. Turned out he was right. But even after he fought him in the Ministry he was adamant that he'd only slowed him down. Kept telling me that there was some kind of prophecy that needed to be fulfilled before it would be over."

"A prophecy?" Tonks looked shocked. "Merlin's beard, he was supposed to be the smartest wizard alive. I never thought he would ever believe in prophecies."

"And I thought you were smart." Moody laughed softly. "Some prophecies do come true. It's a funny thing about prophecies. They sometimes require certain actions to be taken to be put into motion. Albus was certain that those actions had taken place. He believed it since that night seventeen years ago. When You-Know-Who rose from the dead, he was more certain than ever. And when he lay dying, he told me over and over again that the prophecy had to be fulfilled."

"Did he tell you what that was, or how to do it?" Tonks asked. Moody paused before shaking his head.

"Kept his stupid secrets to the end." Moody said bitterly. "But if he believed that You-Know-Who wasn't finished, then I don't think we should get too comfortable."

"Well, if he was right, then I'm in if you need me." Tonks said and Moody gave her an appreciative nod.

"Never doubted it." He grinned, making his face look slightly nicer. "Just do me a favor, and if you hear about anything odd… let me know about it. Dumbledore seemed to think something was coming."

"Like what?" Tonks looked interested but Moody merely shrugged.

"It was Dumbledore, so who can say." Moody clutched his walking stick and turned, beginning the long trek back up to the castle. "Brilliant mind, but let's be honest, he was going a bit mad I think. So all we can do is wait and try and be ready should something happen."

"Alastor."

Tonks and Moody turned as Kingsley approached.

"Are we all wrapped up?" Tonks asked and Kingsley nodded.

"Rufus just cleared everyone to leave. I was going to let you know before I head back to the office. I want to go over the reports on our new victim." Kingsley said.

"Should I order some food for us?" Tonks asked.

No, you should go home." Kingsley started but Moody cleared his throat loudly and both Tonks and Kingsley turned to the old Auror.

"I know that I'm not really in a position where I can give either of you orders anymore." He started. "But If I can offer some advice, you should work together on this. One of you might notice something the other might not see. Tonks earned her way, Kingsley, don't shut her out because you're used to working alone. Someone showed you the ropes, you owe it to them and Tonks to do the same for her."

"You're right." Kingsley nodded, looking chastised. "Rufus told me the same thing. Sorry Tonks, I haven't been entirely fair to you. I'll order us some Chinese, and we'll take a look at the report, and see what we can come up with."

"Alright then, let's crack this case." Tonks said smiling and squeezing Moody's shoulder in thanks.

* * *

Eighteen year old Lisa Turpin sighed as she slipped her bag onto her shoulder and waved one last time to her boss, Mrs. Carter. The old woman waved in reply and reminded Lisa to lock the door behind her. Lisa nodded and promised that she would see her again on Monday morning. She slipped out of the door, and locked it as promised, slipping the keys into her bag before turning to walk up Diagon Alley towards the Leaky Cauldron.

Slim, blonde and beautiful, Lisa had recently graduated Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She had taken the job at Bartleby's Magical Draughts and Potions after she was put on the waiting list for Healer school. Lisa had applied to advance her education and start her path to becoming a healer but the class for the year had filled up. She had lost her place to someone who'd gotten a slightly better score on their Potions NEWT. The young woman had been devastated. The school had promised that she could reapply the following year, and she'd be given special consideration, but in the meantime Lisa had to find a way to support herself.

Her mother and father had told her in no uncertain terms that they would not be supporting her now that she had graduated. Lisa had been told that it was up to her to make her way in the world. This suited her just fine, as she and her parents didn't really get along to well. She loved her parents and she knew that they loved her, but they had always pushed her rather hard, and now there was some resentment between them.

It had been a bit rough at first, but Lisa had found a job in Diagon Alley at a small apothecary and potion maker's shop and she had secured a flat in muggle London only a few blocks from the Leaky Cauldron. It wasn't much more than a single room with a bathroom, but it was fine for the next couple of years. After all, Lisa didn't need much space anyway. A bed to sleep on, a shower to wash in and a place to study for her future was all she needed for now.

The Carters, who owned the shop Lisa worked in, had come to love Lisa like their own granddaughter. The elderly couple had been quite impressed with Lisa's knowledge of potions and their ingredients. She had also helped them to reorganize the shop which many customer complimented claiming it felt easier to find what they needed. It also helped that she could brew a lot of their more sought after potions. Unfortunately the pay wasn't great, but Lisa knew that if she kept to her budget, she'd be fine.

Now, two months on, Lisa had settled herself into a nice routine. She spent her time either working, or studying in preparation for starting her career path. She was happy with her situation, but seemed to be the only one who was.

Mrs. Carter felt Lisa was much too serious for someone her age. The kind old woman kept insisting that Lisa meet her grandson, Neil, who was only a year or so older than Lisa, single and quite good looking. Lisa wasn't interested in being set up, much less starting a relationship with anyone. She wanted to prepare herself for Healer school, and that meant studying as much as she could. This left very little time for a boyfriend, much less her friends.

That is, with the exception of her best friend Mandy Brocklehurst.

Lisa smiled slightly at the thought of Mandy and their friendship. The two girls had made a pact that they would get together regularly and keep up on what was happening in each other's lives. Since graduating they'd gotten together every Friday night for dinner and drinks, and sometimes a movie or some other form of entertainment.

Mandy had landed a job in the Ministry, in the department of infrastructure. It was a boring job so far, mostly playing courier with inter-department files. She'd gotten the job because her father was owed a pretty big favor, but Mandy didn't know what it was, and as she told Lisa, she didn't really care. She was just thankful for being able to be independent.

Lisa entered the Leaky Caldron and found Mandy waiting for her in a far table. The willowy blonde witch walked over and tossed her bag onto the seat before sitting down opposite her friend.

Mandy was a pretty girl with shoulder length, curly brown hair and bright brown eyes. She was shorter than Lisa but had a larger chest and hips. When the two had met in their first year, Mandy had been very shy, while Lisa had been super outgoing. Over the years, Mandy had come out of her shell, while Lisa had calmed and become a bit more reserved. Mandy's mother had told them on more than one occasion that the best of each of them had rubbed off on the other. The girls of course denied this.

"Hey." Lisa said as she took a seat across from her best friend, who looked up and smiled brightly.

"Rough day?" Mandy asked. Lisa gave a non-committal shrug as Tom the barman came over with a couple of menus.

"A couple of butter beers please, Tom." Mandy asked with a sweet smile. Tom nodded and gave her his famous toothless smile.

"How are things in the Ministry?" Lisa asked. Mandy shrugged, but a dark shadow crossed her expression.

"Strange." Mandy finally said. "You heard Sirius Black is back, right?"

"I saw it in the paper this morning." Lisa said looking a bit taken aback. "Do you know what happened?"

"He went into the Wizengamot yesterday and requested his family seat. Rumor is that Lucius Malfoy was really upset because his family has been holding it until Draco came of age for the Wizengamot. Anyway, there's a lot of people worried that with Black on the court, that there's going to be some seriously bad stuff coming down." Mandy explained. "I overheard a couple of witches saying that the Blacks were notoriously anti-muggle."

"Can one man really be that powerful?" Lisa looked skeptically at her friend. "I mean, won't the other members of the court stop him if he gets too crazy with the bills he introduces?"

"Probably depends on how much gold he passes around." Mandy shrugged. "But not only that, the Aurors found another dead girl. In Dover I think."

"Another one?" Lisa was again taken by surprise again and Mandy nodded, looking a little shaken.

"Dawkins, you know the clerk in the Auror Office I was telling you about?" Mandy asked.

"The bald, fat one who thinks you're his destiny?" Lisa asked with a slight smirk. Mandy nodded with a grimace.

"He told me that she was completely drained of blood and that they think it might be vampires." Mandy explained just as Tom came over with their drinks, and asked for their orders. Lisa asked for some soup and a roast beef sandwich, while Mandy wanted shepherd's pie.

"I thought the Ministry kept a close eye on all the vampire's in England." Lisa asked.

"That's what I thought as well." Mandy nodded. "But Dawkins said you get rogues with every group and it's likely some young vampire is trying to make his mark. I don't know what he meant by that, and when I asked he just kind of gave me this look like I was supposed to know. Anyway, it doesn't sound like the Aurors have any clues as to what's going on."

"Well that's scary." Lisa sighed. "I kind of wish I had taken Mrs. Carter up on her offer to introduce me to her grandson so I'd maybe have someone to walk me home at night. Speaking of which..."

Mandy sort of deflated and shook her head. "I couldn't do it."

"Mandy!" Lisa hissed with exasperation.

"I choke." Mandy threw her hands up in defeat. "Gods, if you could only see him, you'd understand. He's so gorgeous and I just... I panicked. Again!"

"You're never going to even learn his name, much less date, marry and have his seventeen babies like you keep saying if you don't talk to him. The worst that can happen is that he isn't interested." Lisa reminded her friend for what felt like the eightieth time since her friend had begun talking about this mysterious man who worked in the Department of regulation of Magical Creatures. According to Mandy this specimen was tall with wavy dark hair and broad shoulders and a chiseled chin. Mandy had been smitten since she'd first laid eyes on this man and had not, as of yet, been able to speak to him. Every week Lisa would pump Mandy up and try to make her confident enough to open her mouth, but every week it seemed that she would fail.

"You should be ashamed." Lisa shook her head as Tom set their dinners in front of them.

"Mortified seems a better description." Mandy sighed.

"What am I going to do with you?" Lisa asked.

Mandy shrugged and changed the subject. The two girls finished their meals, discussing their lives post Hogwarts, possible love interests, and plans for the weekend. When they were finished eating, and had had a few more drinks, they parted ways with the promise that they would convene again the following week at the same time.

Mandy used the floo to get home, but Lisa left the pub and headed into muggle London. She had gotten herself a flat not too far away that was cheap. She took her normal route home which took her through three alleys that were in desperate need of light. Lisa walked a little more quickly tonight after hearing about the dead girl and the possibility that it had been vampires.

She got to her building and punched in the security code that got her into the lobby. Once inside, she headed for the stairs. As soon as she was behind her own locked door, Lisa let out a sigh of relief. Maybe walking through those alleys wasn't such a good idea anymore. She realized she was less likely to be attacked on the street than in an alley. After hearing about a second girl's body being found, and that vampires might be behind it, she felt that the more precautions she took, the less likely she was to be hurt, or killed. And Lisa had a few goals she wanted to accomplish before she died. No reason to screw that up by being careless and getting murdered.

Maybe she would take Mrs. Carter up on her offer to fix her up. Having someone walk her home would definitely make her feel safer… and if he turned out to be as nice as Mrs. Carter kept saying, all the better.

* * *

The place looked almost exactly as Sirius had remembered it. The old gray house was more weathered, but still just as warm as it had been when he'd last seen it back in his teens.

Sirius stepped up onto the porch and knocked three times on the door, paused, and knocked another three times. Almost immediately there came the sound of footsteps on the other side of the door. There was a moment of quiet before the door opened and Sirius saw his old school friend for the first time in seventeen years.

"Sirius?"

"Hello Remus." Sirius smiled. He took in his old friend and felt his heart sink slightly at the man's appearance. Remus Lupin looked as if he hadn't seen sunlight in many years. He was thin and his light brown hair was limp and graying. His brown eyes looked sunken and red. All of his clothing looked as if it had been patched and mended many times over.

"You bastard!" Remus shouted as he lunged at Sirius. His fist connected with Sirius' jaw and made him stumble backward. Remus tackled Sirius to the ground and began punching his kidneys. Sirius wrapped his arm around Remus' head and twisted himself to get his feet back under him and push Remus away as he backed himself away from the enraged man. This wasn't really the reunion he'd imagined, though in hindsight Sirius knew he should have expected it.

"Remus, let me explain everything." Sirius tried reasoning with his friend, who looked mad enough to chew nails.

"You betrayed them you son of a bitch!" Remus shouted. "James was your best friend and you sold him and Lily out and then you ran like a coward! I'll kill you!"

"That isn't what happened!" Sirius shouted. "Just listen to me, please!"

"I'll send you to hell where you belong!" Remus snarled, readying himself for another attack. Sirius covertly slipped his wand from his wrist holster unbeknownst to Remus.

"Damn it Remus, one way or another you're going to hear what I have to say. You choose whether we sit down and do it civilly or if I put you under a body bind and make you listen."

Remus glared at the other man, fire burning in his eyes. The werewolf remembered how fast with his wand Sirius had been in their school days, and had no doubt that his former friend had his wand at the ready. By the way Sirius was standing it was a certainty. Worse, Remus had left his wand on the kitchen table next to the nearly empty bottle of firewhisky.

Still glowering at his visitor, Remus slowly lowered his fists. The odds were not in his favor at the moment, and unless he could get his own wand, Remus doubted he would come out of this fight well. While he knew that he could take on Sirius with only his fists, and his lycanthropy did make him stronger than the average man, Sirius could strike him down before he got close enough to do any real damage to the traitor.

Sirius looked relieved that Remus was going to at least hold off on attempting to kill him long enough to allow him to tell him what had really happened seventeen years ago.

"First and foremost, I never betrayed James and Lily." Sirius began. "I would have died before even considering such a sin. We all knew that there was a traitor among us, and I believed it was you."

"Me?" Remus asked, taken aback.

"With Voldemort rallying the werewolves as he was, and the things he was promising, it was hard not to think you might have been tempted. Look at it from my point of view. You'd been oppressed, and you hadn't been able to find good work since graduating. Dumbledore had you supposedly spying on the packs, but we hardly ever saw you, and when we did… Remus, even James was worried you might have been going rogue on us. He would always brush it off, and scold himself for doubting you, but you were always so distant with us."

"You have no idea…" Remus began but Sirius held up his hands cutting him off.

"You're right." He said softly. "I don't. And I know now I never should have doubted you. I'm ashamed of the way I thought back then, but I was scared. We all were." Sirius said apologetically. Remus remained stoic.

"How did Voldemort find James and Lily if you didn't tell him where they were?" Remus asked. "You were their secret keeper."

"That's what we wanted everyone to think. Everyone expected it and the Death Eaters would have been after me." Sirius explained. "But I convinced James to use Peter. I thought it was brilliant. No one would have ever guessed that James would choose Peter, not even you. Everyone knew that of the four of us, he was the weakest. The night it happened, I went to see Peter, to check on how he was doing. Lily had written to me and told me he'd been really upset about something. When I got to his flat, he was gone. Then I heard what had happened and I knew he'd betrayed James and Lily. I knew he'd betrayed us all, and I wanted to kill him, Remus. I wanted that little shite to burn."

"Then why did you run?" Remus asked, his anger beginning to dissipate. Sirius' story made perfect sense, and Remus, though he was loathe to admit it, actually believed it.

"I ran because Dumbledore told me to." Sirius replied. Remus looked bewildered by this.

"That doesn't make sense." Remus argued.

"It will." Sirius said, covertly returning his wand to its holster. "I have a lot to tell you old friend."

"Then you'd better start talking." Remus said as he turned to go back into the house. "I'll put the kettle on."

"I've a better idea." Sirius said, catching Remus' arm. Without warning, he apparated them both to a rather stunning garden with a tall willow tree in the center. Remus wrenched his arm free and turned on Sirius, looking murderous. The werewolf took another swing at his old school chum, but Sirius had expected it and managed to jump away.

"Settle down Remus, or my wife might not be able to stop herself from hexing you."

Remus stopped short and turned around to find a beautiful blonde woman with her wand leveled at his chest.

"Alright." Remus nodded with a look of trepidation at the woman's cold blue stare. "You said you wanted to talk?"

"It appears he is as smart as you said he was." Annalise remarked, and Sirius began to laugh, waving towards the house for Remus to join them for dinner.

"This is going to take a while, and to be honest, you look like you could use a good meal old friend." Sirius smiled.

* * *

Marjorie Pucey let out a long, drunken whoop of joy as she raised her hands above her head. She waved the sexy, strappy high heels she had removed in the club when her feet had started hurting from all the dancing. Her silken black locks were falling out of the elegant knot she had started the night with and her tight dress was in desperate need of being pulled down before her hind end was unleashed upon the world. Or maybe that was what she was aiming for.

Tonight had been beyond wild so far and Marjorie couldn't wait to see what else she and her two best friends, Lila and Gretchen, could get up to. She wondered if that really hot guy she'd spent the last hour grinding against on the dance floor would follow her. Marjorie was pretty sure if he made the effort for her, she might make an effort for him later. He had been beyond gorgeous and Marjorie thought it would be the best way to end the night by ending up with that boy in her bed.

"Where do we go next ladies?" Lila asked, trying to keep the slinky straps of her dress on her shoulders. The effort seemed pointless as Lila was in no danger of losing the dress thanks to the sticking charm she'd used before they left.

"I don't care so long as they have great Appletinis!" Gretchen slurred drunkenly, hooking her arm with Lila's and using her friend to keep herself upright.

"Gods, muggles really know how to party!" Marjorie sighed, flipping tendrils of her long black hair out of her face as she gazed about the London city street. "I want to dance some more."

"I just want to find another hot muggle boy so I can show him what real magic is." Lila sniggered.

"You just want to play with his wand!" Marjorie giggled and her two friends burst into laughter, cackling like mad hags.

They continued down the street, stumbling drunkenly about, trying to figure out where they should go next when someone called after them.

"Marjorie, it's that guy!" Gretchen said conspiratorially, though the pointing over her shoulder gave her away completely. Marjorie turned and grinned ferally as the tall, really good looking bloke strode towards them. He was athletically built with strong, aristocratic features and piercing hazel eyes that had Marjorie's legs quivering.

"Are you following me?" She asked with a flirtatious smile when he was close enough. The guy smiled guiltily.

"Maybe a bit." He said, and Marjorie's friends both wolf whistled. Marjorie just continued to grin sexily. "You left without giving me your number and I was hoping to see a bit more of you."

"I bet." Lila snorted. Gretchen covered her laughter badly with a series of coughs, but the boy and Marjorie ignored her.

"Well, do you know of another club around here? You could join us and that way you'd be able to see a bit more of me." Marjorie winked at the boy who blushed slightly. He stammered a bit at the girl's forwardness.

"Well, everything's closing down for the night, but I do know of a private club not too far from here. My best mate works the door and I could get us all in." The boy said as he offered his arm. "It's just round the corner."

Marjorie smiled and took the boy's arm. "It's so rare to find a gentleman." She said in what she was sure was a sexy whisper. The boy returned the smile and began leading the girls down the street with Marjorie on his arm like some sort of prize while her two drunken friends followed behind, giggling and whispering back and forth. It wasn't long before he turned into a long alley that was poorly lit and smelled badly of urine.

"Ugh!" Gretchen nearly retched. "Who'd put a club down here? It smells horrible."

"It helps keep out the riff-raff." The boy said coyly. "Just a bit further this way, ladies."

After another minute they came to a dead end piled with garbage and no doors in sight.

"Did you take a wrong turn?" Marjorie asked sarcastically. The boy shook his head as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a black wand. He quickly pointed it at Lila and in a flash of green light, the girl fell onto the rubbish strewn ground, lifeless. Gretchen screamed and Marjorie leapt back away from the boy eyes wide with horror.

Another flash of green, and Gretchen's screaming abruptly ended.

"Don't!" the boy snapped at Marjorie when she turned to run. "I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to." He said in a tone that told her he was being sincere. He still stared at her with eyes full of lust, but it was different now, almost detached. He had his wand leveled at her chest as he took a tentative step towards her.

"Who are you?" She asked desperately. "What do you want?"

"I know you're the one I've been looking for, Marjorie. I've watched you for a while and I know that it's you. But I need to be sure, there can be no mistakes." He said, advancing on her. Marjorie retreated, trying to keep space between herself and this vile bastard who'd she'd been grinding against less than thirty minutes ago. She wanted to turn and run as fast as her bare feet would carry her, but she was certain that she wouldn't get far at all. Not with this killer's wand leveled at her like it was. She had to think of something, but her alcohol addled mind wasn't working very well.

And then she'd run out of space as her back collided with the brick wall.

"I meant what I said Marjorie." He spoke in a gentle, soothing tone as he advanced on her. "So long as you behave, I won't hurt you. I just need to make sure you're who I think you are Marjorie."

The boy grabbed her left arm and turned her forcibly, pressing her sideways into the brick wall. She felt the left side of her dress tear open, likely from a cutting hex. Cool air caressed her now bare side and the young man used his wand to produce a dim light and then to open the hole in her dress. Marjorie stifled a whimper as she felt the tip of the wand touch a spot just to the left of her breast. The sigh that her attacker let out made her heart freeze with fear.

"I knew it." He whispered. "I knew you were one of them. Oh, my sweet, sweet Marjorie, you have no idea just how special you are."

Marjorie whimpered as her attacker whispered in her ear. With a fury that might have rivaled a cornered wolverine, the terrified young woman braced herself against the wall and pushed back with all her might, knocking her attacker off balance. The witch reached into the front of her dress and pulled her wand free, though her reflexes were still very slow thanks to the alcohol still streaming through her veins. Before she could even aim, the young man had disarmed her, looking very disappointed.

"I don't know who you think I am..." Marjorie tried, tears falling down her face. "I'm not special. I'm nobody."

"Yes you are." The boy said grimly. "And when we see each other again, you'll understand just how special you really are."


	3. Chapter 3

3\. A Hero In Shadow

"Marjorie Pucey." Tonks said, handing the file to Kingsley with a grim look. "They just confirmed it. She was reported missing two weeks ago by her mother, and supposedly she'd been out with her friends, who just so happened to be Lila Bonnett and Gretchen Harper, the two girls that were found in that alley in London two weeks ago."

"Why take one and not all three?" Kingsley asked, as he opened the file to begin reading it. He flipped to the photos of the girl covered in black runes and drained of all her fluids. Just like Samantha Pike and Lilith Moon, Marjorie Pucey looked like a mummified corpse, save for the fact that her skin wasn't dried.

"I'm telling you Kingsley, this stinks of ritual to me. The runes... why spend the time to tattoo all those runes on someone if not for a ritual?" Tonks asked.

"But we can't decipher them to find out the purpose." Kingsley sighed, slapping the file on his desk. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought about what they knew so far, hoping that he might think of something new. Something that would tell him who was killing these girls and why.

Marjorie Pucey, nineteen, had allegedly gone out with friends for a girl's night that consisted of dancing and drinking. None of the girls returned home that night. Two days later, Gretchen Harper and Lila Bonnett were found in an alley dead of the killing curse. Marjorie's body had turned up only the day before... in Manchester. She was naked and covered in runic tattoos and without a drop of blood in her body. The examiners had discovered that prior to death she had been scrubbed clean and her fingernails and toenails had been seen to. It had also been discovered that just prior to death, she had engaged in intimacy and it didn't appear to have been forced.

The popular theory within the department was that it was the work of vampires. Given some of the evidence, it would have made sense that vampires were involved, except that there had been no bite marks. In fact, there had been no wounds whatsoever. Even the killing curse left residual magic, but there were no signs to tell examiners what had ended their lives.

"This case is getting stranger by the day." Kingsley groaned.

"Tell me about it." Tonks agreed. "Why this girl? What was so special about her and not the other two she was with? They all came from prominent families."

"But our other two victims didn't come from prominent families." Kingsley pointed out. "Actually, the Pike girl wasn't Pureblood, she was a Half-Blood. In fact, the only commonality I've been able to determine is that they were all witches, and all nineteen."

"Ok, so this asshole is targeting nineteen year old witches. That's a place to start." Tonks sighed. "We can get a list of all the witches in England who are nineteen or about to be. Then we can … I don't know… watch them and hope our killer tries to snatch one."

Tonks sighed at the futility of it all. There was probably a hundred nineteen year old witches in Britain. Trying to monitor all of them would be problematic at best, and she knew they didn't have the manpower to do it.

"The other thing is that the bodies seem to turn up only once a month. So, if it is a ritual, it has something to do with the time of the month." Kingsley said, rising from his seat and grabbing his wand which he waved at a black board that hung on the wall in their shared cubicle. "If we look at the time the Pucey girl was found, and go back to when she was taken, that's roughly two weeks right?"

Tonks nodded and Kingsley went on. "That means that the next girl is likely going to be taken around the fifth of next month. That gives us about ten days to figure out who it might be."

"We can guess that it'll be a nineteen year old girl." Tonks added.

"Let's go ahead and get that list." Kingsley sighed, rubbing his face. "I know it seems pointless, but at the very least we'll have a list of candidates. Maybe we could spot the pattern or something. In all honesty I'm flying blind on this."

"I'll head down now." Tonks nodded and headed for the Hall of Records.

Kingsley stood and went to the blackboard where he and Tonks had all the clues they had along with the victims' names. "What connects them? Why these girls?" He asked himself for the thousandth time.

* * *

Hermione Granger looked up from her filing as she heard the bell over the front office door tinkle. She placed the folder that was in her hands on top of the cabinet and walked out to the office. There she found a very pretty woman with short, spiky pink hair, a worn leather motorcycle jacket and knee high boots. The visitor smiled as Hermione appeared.

"Can I help you?" Hermione asked, as she walked towards the woman.

"I hope so." Came the deflated reply. "I'm Auror Tonks and I need a list of all the witches in England who are currently or are about to turn nineteen years of age."

Hermione gave the Auror a puzzled look. "That may take a while." She said and Tonks nodded her understanding.

"It's important." Tonks stated firmly.

Hermione went to one of the two minuscule desks and picked up a quill and began to scribble on a scrap of parchment. "Anything else you need or just the names?"

"Name, birth date and current address. That would be a good start." Tonks said evenly. Hermione turned and gave the Auror a small smile.

"Well if it helps, I'm about to turn nineteen, and I'm pretty sure my colleague Tracey is turning nineteen soon as well. So at least you now have two names." Hermione replied, trying to add a little levity. Tonks however, looked interested.

"Any chance you've noticed someone following you lately, or anything else out of the ordinary?" Tonks asked. Hermione stood up now, looking very confused.

"No." She said. "But to be honest I'm no one special, so I doubt anyone would bother following me for anything."

"You shouldn't be so sure. Do me a favor though, and try and be more aware of your surroundings, and mix up your routine. It could be important."

"I will." Hermione promised. "And I'll get you that list before the end of the day."

"I would really appreciate that." Tonks nodded and left. Hermione stared at the door for a moment after the Auror had left, wondering if any of what had been spoken of had anything to do with the girl who'd been found in Manchester. Hermione had read the article in the Daily Prophet earlier that morning, and thought it sounded very close to another girl whose body had been discovered roughly a month ago. She shivered slightly as she remembered Tonks telling her to mix up her routine.

Hermione couldn't imagine being targeted for anything other than her blood status. Now that the Dark Lord Voldemort had been defeated, she was pretty confident that the only thing she really had to worry about was discrimination at her job, which still infuriated her.

Hermione had been at the top of her class at Hogwarts. Highest marks in every class. She'd worked hard all seven years, and had hoped that when she left school she'd be offered a decent starting position within the Ministry. Her ultimate goal was to work her way up and eventually gain a seat on the Wizengamot where she could make real changes. She had learned all there was to know about the law and the courts, including the fact that half the seats were held by the oldest families, and the other half were petitioned and voted into positions on the court. She knew how bills were introduced and the process for voting them into law. She was aware of who the most influential members of the court were, and all their achievements to date were. Not that any of it helped her here in the hall of records where she spent her days filing.

It had been the only job she could get within the Ministry, thanks in large part to the fact that Hermione was Muggleborn. No one seemed to want the smartest witch of the age working in their department because most departments were headed by Purebloods. Not that all of those department heads believed themselves superior or bought into Pureblood beliefs. Some of the jobs Hermione had applied for she just simply hadn't been qualified for.

But the ones she felt that she had been the best candidate for, she'd been passed over in favor of a Pureblood.

She pushed those thoughts out of her mind because all it did was make her angry and there was no point in being angry over something she wasn't in a position to change at the moment. Instead, she focused on getting those records for Auror Tonks.

As she pulled birth records for the years 1978 and 79, Hermione found her mind wandering back to her days in school, especially when she came across a name that she recognized. Hogwarts had been both amazing and heart wrenching for Hermione. She had always had trouble making friends growing up, partly due to the fact that she was different, and partly because she had a tendency to be really bossy. When she'd discovered that she was a witch, it had helped her with part of her problem. However, her first year at school had still been rather lonely.

She'd spent most of her free time that year in the library, soaking up as much knowledge as she could, and avoiding a few select classmates who reveled in making her miserable. However, by the end of her first year, she had become friends with her fellow Gryffindor, Neville Longbottom, who was also a bit of an outcast since he was rather forgetful and clumsy.

In her second year, Hermione had made friends with Ginny Weasley, who was a vibrant and very outgoing first year. Ginny had a rough start to her first year, and Hermione had been there to help. Neville, Ginny and Hermione remained close throughout the rest of their time in school. While their circle of friends did expand, Hermione, Neville, and Ginny were always there for one another, even after Neville and Ginny made a short attempt at dating.

Hermione idly wondered how Ginny was doing at Hogwarts without herself and Neville there with her. Ginny was pretty strong and independent, so Hermione knew that she shouldn't worry too much. Maybe it was just because Hermione felt lonely again now that she was out of school.

She vaguely recalled that Neville had left to travel the continent after school, and once again tamped down wistful thoughts and not just a little jealousy of the casual wealth Neville's family possessed. She was happy for her friend's opportunity to go see the world, and she guessed he'd soon be stuck in politics, his future somewhat defined by his family name.

On the other hand, Hermione had become good friends with Tracey Davis, the girl who worked with her in the Hall of Records. Tracey and Hermione had been in the same year at school, but had never once spoken to each other. This had been because they had belonged to rival houses, Gryffindor and Slytherin. The two houses had been rivals for ages, and no one could seem to remember why. It was just understood that Gryffindors and Slytherins didn't mix. But that didn't apply now that they were out of school.

Hermione thought that Tracey was a really great person. She was funny without constantly being gross. She was very smart and could carry on an intelligent debate and back up her opinions with solid facts. Best of all, when Tracey was in the office, it didn't feel like work. Hermione hoped that Tracey got back soon from her lunch with her boyfriend, Theo Nott.

As if she had been summoned, the pretty auburn haired girl, with bright brown eyes and an infectious smile, all but danced into the office, humming softly.

"I take it lunch was good?" Hermione asked with a smile. Tracey grinned and nodded, stopping by the work area the two girls shared. Her smile faltered slightly at the pile of folders that had appeared while she had been out.

"I already took care of most of that." Hermione said, and Tracey's smile brightened again.

"You are some kind of amazing, you know that?" Tracey said, walking towards Hermione.

"Well, I don't have a life outside of this, so…" Hermione shrugged.

"Yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you about that." Tracey said, glancing at the list Hermione was working on. "What's this?"

"The Aurors need a list of all the girls in the country who are nineteen years old, or about to be."

"What for?" Tracey asked. "You got my birthday wrong. It's September 30th, not October 30th."

"Oh." Hermione said, scratching out the date and correcting it. "At least I had the day right."

Tracey's laughing retort died as she narrowed her eyes. "So what's this for? Why do they need it?" Tracey asked, growing concerned at her friend's unusual mistake.

"I think it has to do with the murders. When I told her I was nineteen, she asked if I had noticed anyone following me lately or anything weird like that. Then she told me to mix up my routine." Hermione explained.

"That's freaky." Tracey said with a shiver. "Theo says it's probably rogue vampires."

"Sort of makes sense." Hermione agreed. "Still scary."

"Well it's a good thing I have a way for you to mix up your routine tonight." Tracey smiled conspiratorially. "You're going out with Theo and I tonight."

"Oh god, Tracey I don't want to be a third wheel while you and Theo attempt to eat each other's faces." Hermione made a disgusted face, and Tracey giggled lightly and shoved Hermione's shoulder.

"You won't have to worry about that tonight." Tracey smiled.

Hermione looked up as she realized what Tracey had just said, her eyes wide with worry. "Oh no, what did you do?"

* * *

Sirius looked up as his office door opened and Remus Lupin stepped in. Sirius smiled to himself as his friend approached, really happy with his transformation in the last two weeks. Gone were the patched and tattered clothes, his hair was combed and cut, and his beard was neatly trimmed. But most important was the fact that he looked healthy. His eyes were no longer sunken, his skin was less pale, and he'd put on a healthy couple of pounds thanks to regularly getting decent meals now. Also, the werewolf potion that Annalise made had definitely helped him to recover from the effects of his transformation.

Normally someone stricken with Lycanthropy suffered debilitating illness during the week of the Full moon. The physical transformation werewolves go through was quite taxing on their bodies. In Sweden, and most other modern countries, a potion was readily available that countered most of the symptoms of the transformation, allowing the werewolf to function during the days of the full moon.

Unfortunately for Remus, and other werewolves in Britain, the potion was largely banned, with the Ministry citing too many negative side affects for anyone who took it, claiming some of the ingredients were even poisonous to those inflicted with Lycanthropy.

Sirius knew, like many, that the truth was that the majority of Magical Britain were far too proud to accept that anyone else could develop something so wonderful. Britain had a long history of unacceptance when it came to innovation. It was partly why, at least in Sirius' opinion, Muggleborns were kept at arms length. God forbid they should be allowed to add fresh ideas and new concepts to their decaying and dying world. Bigotry and paranoia at their finest, Sirius mused.

"I have tomorrow's agenda and the two bills that are going to be introduced for you to review." Remus said, setting the pile of parchment in front of Sirius who then motioned for him to sit down. Remus complied and sighed.

"What about the other thing I asked you for." Sirius asked, picking up the first piece of parchment and frowning.

"No one seems to know." Remus looked bitter. "He hasn't been seen since Voldemort and Dumbledore fought. The rumor is that he fled the country. No one has seen or heard from him since that night. I flooed Headmistress McGonagall to see if she's heard from him, but she said he didn't even retrieve his belongings from the school."

"Slippery as ever." Sirius said with disappointment. "That's too bad. It would have been nice if we could have talked to him."

"Do you really think he'd invite you in for tea?" Remus asked a little sarcastically.

"I doubt old' Snivellus would have been happy to see me at all." Sirius sighed. "But if he gave me a chance to explain, he might have at least told what he knew about Voldemort and his army. It would have made things a bit easier. But we're used to doing things the hard way."

"What are we going to do about Peter?" Remus asked.

"I don't know yet." Sirius replied honestly. "Right now he controls the narrative. Everyone will believe whatever the Prophet prints, and I'll bet my last knut he's got an expose that he could print that would have me in Azkaban without a trial. We're going to have to be careful with him. For now, I know where he is, and that's enough."

"You two seemed to have thought this through." Remus remarked. "There isn't a lot you haven't prepared for."

"Except for not being able to find any of the Death Eaters, or Voldemort." Sirius said sourly. "I never once thought it would take this long. But back then he seemed to be everywhere. I guess I just never thought he would change his tactics."

"For fifteen years he was little more than a ghost." Remus reminded his friend. "We all thought he was finished. Then suddenly at the end of the Tri-Wizard Tournament he just shows up out of nowhere. I'm willing to bet he's doing the same thing again. Laying low so we drop our defenses. Most of his more notorious Death Eaters have gone to ground, and rumors are that most of them have fled."

"Definitely not." Sirius shook his head. "He's got them close, likely helping him to heal. From what you've told me and from what I've heard, he was pretty badly hurt after that duel with Dumbledore. And Dumbledore succumbed to his injuries in the end. Given how fearful of death he is, I'm willing to wager that the bastard is looking for some other safeguard against passing over. Given what we know about his knowledge of the Dark Arts, I'm sure he's found a way to lengthen his life and to heal himself. The question is how? And the second question is how do we undo it? If he's smart he won't try Horcruxes again. His soul is too fragile and he could kill himself trying to create one… unless he's found a way to heal that as well. But I doubt it."

Remus cocked an inquisitive eyebrow, and Sirius stood up and went to the small table where a crystal decanter sat. Sirius poured two glasses of amber liquid and handed one to Remus.

"Dumbledore told me a long time ago that in order for Voldemort to heal his soul he'd have to show remorse. Real remorse. He'd have to really feel it in his heart and try to make amends. We know that will never happen." Sirius said as he drank his firewhiskey.

"So he remains mortal for now." Remus nodded. Sirius had explained horcruxes and what they were for when he'd explained where he'd been and what he'd been doing these last seventeen years. Remus still had trouble accepting all of it, but he trusted Sirius now. The man had given him the truth, as hard as some of it had been to take.

"Unless he was prepared for this. Dumbledore didn't think he was though." Sirius replied.

"So where does that leave us?" Remus asked.

"We continue forward. Snape is still out there somewhere. The Death Eaters are still out there as well. Eventually someone is going to slip up and we'll get lucky." Sirius shrugged. "The only thing we can be sure of is that he's looking for a way to prevent himself from dying. We just have to keep our eyes and ears open for anything unusual."

* * *

Lisa Turpin closed and locked the door after staying late to do some needed cleanup. She dropped the keys into her bag, which she slipped onto her shoulder as she started walking towards the Leaky Cauldron. Her stomach gave a small rumble and she sighed. She'd would have loved to stop into the pub for something, but gold was a little lacking currently, and she had some soup at home that was perfectly acceptable. It wasn't steak and kidney pie, or anything near that hearty, but it would do the job.

So the plan was soup and another night of studying from the new books she'd gotten the night before. The young witch had one whole year to the day until she would be starting Healer school. It would have been that day, but the class had filled up, and she had been beaten out by someone who scored one point higher on the application test. ONE POINT! It still made her grit her teeth when she thought about it all.

It was going to be a really rough year, but Lisa had convinced herself that it would make her better prepared for the future. She was going to have to learn how to make ends meet without help. So far she'd been okay, but she was going to have to budget her money better. She probably could have bought just one of the books last night, instead of all three, and she would have had more money for food, but lesson learned.

As she got closer to the Leaky Cauldron the smells of food had her salivating. Lisa cursed Tom's brilliant cooks and hurried her pace a bit. The sooner she passed through the pub and got into Muggle London and past temptation, the better.

Lisa breathed a heavy sigh as she stepped onto the sidewalk. It had been harder than she had thought it would be to get through the pub because there had been a family there being served as she passed. The roast beef sandwich the man had gotten had looked so sumptuous that Lisa had considered stunning the man and taking his food.

But she had managed to control herself and was now walking towards her flat. She took her old route through the dark and dingy alleyways. She had vowed to take the long way home ever since Mandy had told her about the two girls who'd been killed and had followed it for a couple of weeks. She had renewed that vow almost two weeks ago when Marjorie Pucey's body had been found, but she was tired tonight, and really hungry. So much so that she wasn't thinking about anything but her lousy soup.

Which is why she didn't notice that some had followed her into the alley, sticking to the shadows, and making not one sound.

Lisa began to quiz herself on treatments for different magical illnesses. She recited in her head the different potions and salves to use on Dragonpox and what kind of spells you need to use for diagnosing Spattergroit. She was completely unaware of her surroundings as she entered the last alley before her building, which was the longest, and as it happened, the darkest.

"Hello, my sweet."

Lisa stopped short and looked up to find someone standing in her path a short distance away. He was dressed in black robes. All at once it came back to her. Three girls killed in the last three months, likely by vampires. Vampires of course only ever came out at night, and it was very dark tonight, especially in this alley. Mandy cursed herself for not paying attention to her surroundings, and turned to go back the way she came only to find a second robed figure behind her, very close. Lisa's heart began pounding hard in her chest when she saw the bone white mask. Death Eaters.

This one reached out and grabbed her wrist. Lisa shrieked and fought to get free, but the grip was too tight, and he began trying to force her to the ground. She flailed and kicked, but the Death Eater appeared to be quite nimble and managed to avoid most of her swings.

"Miss Turpin, I will not hurt you." A masculine voice said calmly. Lisa was taken aback, but still tried to free herself. "You are destined for a great honor, if we find you are worthy."

"Get off of me or I swear I'll…"

"Accio Wand!" A second male voice called out, and Lisa screamed as her wand was pulled out of her coat pocket. She tried in vain to capture her wand but it flew away far too quickly. Everything spun as her legs were knocked out from under her and she found herself on her stomach. Her right arm was twisted up behind back and Lisa writhed and shouted to be let go. She wondered why her screams seemed muted and then it occurred to her that there were wards in place. She was trapped.

"Roll her." The second man said. Lisa found herself being turned onto her right side. She managed to get her foot down and used all her weight to knock her captor off balance. He fell back and Lisa leapt to her feet, sprinting towards the end of the alley. She made it five feet before her arms and legs seized up and she skidded onto her face. She'd been caught by a body bind curse. She could feel blood on her face but she couldn't wipe it away. Tears stung her eyes as she heard the two men approaching. This was it, this was the end. Lisa wished she could see her mother and father one last time to tell them that she loved them.

She was rolled onto her back and the two men knelt beside her. The first one waved his wand over her face, intoning a soothing spell, healing her face, which confused her. If they were going to kill her, why would they bother healing her injuries?

Her coat was vanished, and the second man tore open her shirt. Lisa wanted to scream, but her muscles were locked tight. She was completely at the mercy of the two men as one was now pulling back her shirt and the other reaching for her bra.

And that's when things got very odd. A wand was lit up and held close over her left side as fingers pulled up her bra ever so slightly, and then traced something on her ribs, just to the left of her breast. She couldn't turn her head to see what was happening, but she heard the sharp intake of breath from both men. Here she was, completely exposed, or at least her torso, and they didn't seem interested at all in her chest.

Okay, so she wasn't that blessed on top. Her breasts were a bit on the small side, but she wasn't flat by any means. And here she was completely at their mercy, and they weren't even trying to cop a feel. If she hadn't been so terrified, she might have been offended.

"I can't believe it." The first one said, sounding overjoyed. "It really worked. We really found her. He's going to be so pleased."

"Aye." The second one agreed, as he rolled Lisa onto her back. "Miss Turpin, you have no idea how happy we are to meet you. We've been misled before, but fortune has smiled on us tonight. You are the one we've been looking for."

"You've no idea the honor that awaits you." The first man said, still tracing his fingers on her ribs like a caress. Lisa wanted to vomit at his touch. She was begging mentally for something, anything to stop this.

Then the man touching her skin suddenly stopped and Lisa heard a strange sound. Like a 'thunk'. Lisa couldn't see the man's face, but the second man was clearly concerned, and then there was and flare of orange light and the man touching her began shouting. She could feel heat coming from the shouting man.

Then came more sounds. The second man shoved his friend and shouted the water spell. Lisa felt a bit of water splash on her. There was more shouting, and swearing and then a shout of great pain. This was followed by a sound of surprise and then something heavy crashing into some garbage bins.

"Who the ruddy hell are you?" shouted the second man.

There were flashes of spells and more shouting. Lisa could tell that someone else had come. Someone the Death Eaters didn't want or expect. Someone had come to save her.

More flashes of spells, and then a very heavy thud near Lisa's feet, and quite suddenly she could move once again. She sat up quickly and scrambled away as the other Death Eater finally freed himself from all the rubbish and began to square off against…

Lisa froze. There was a fire burning from a pile of what Lisa was sure were robes. From the soft firelight she could see her savior and she wasn't sure how much more she could take.

He, because Lisa was positive it was a he, was tall and thin, and dressed in black leather. His head was covered in a hood, and on his back was a quiver of arrows. Lisa noted that the Death Eater was missing his black robes, which she guessed were what was burning on the ground. She watched as one of her assailants circled the hooded man, who seemed unconcerned by his foe.

"You made a huge mistake my friend." The Death Eater said with venom. The hooded man didn't reply. Instead he spun and hit the Death Eater hard in the chest. The Death Eater gasped and the hooded man backed away. Lisa saw something sticking out of the Death Eater's chest. He looked down, then stumbled back and fell down.

An eerie silence fell over the alley, broken only by the leather clad man's foot steps. He knelt down next to the Death Eater and Lisa heard him speak. But it was strange. She couldn't hear what he said and she couldn't pick out his voice because it sounded like several voices speaking together.

After a few moments the hooded man reached up and placed his hand over the Death Eater's mask. There was a flash of bluish light and the Death Eater fell back. Lisa wondered what the figure in black had done, she didn't recognize the spell at all and heard no incantation. She started to ask, but her voice wasn't cooperating, and all that came out was a pathetic sort of squeak.

Lisa gasped when the hooded man turned and looked right at her. She couldn't see his face, only a black void. He rose and walked over to the body that had fallen near her and picked up something before he walked towards her. Lisa shook her head and started to move away when she realized what the man was holding, and now offering to her. It was her wand. He was handing her back her wand.

"Who-who are you? What do you want from me?" Lisa stammered.

"You should find a less dangerous route home." Came the response. It was so eerie, like a choir speaking in unison.

The hooded man walked away a bit, bent and picked up her handbag. Lisa had gotten to her feet and stood frozen as the man returned and held out her bag back to her.

"You should go home now." He said.

Lisa found herself walking forward, keeping her wand leveled. The man in leather made no move to stop her, or attack her.

"Did you… did you kill them?" Lisa stammered as she looked at the two men who had moments ago been attacking her, and now lay motionless. She found it difficult to breathe now, and she felt like the world was spinning. She'd never seen a dead body before.

"Oh gods, I think I'm going to pass out." Lisa said, staring right at the completely bodies, her head pounding and her vision going darker.

"Breathe through your nose. Long deep breaths." The voices said in concert. Lisa bent at the waist, her hands on her knees as she did as the stranger said. A moment later the dizziness abated, though her stomach churned.

"They were Death Eaters, weren't they?" Lisa asked for confirmation.

The hooded man said nothing. Instead he knelt by the closest body and pulled off his mask, tossing it to Lisa. It hit the asphalt and skidded in front of her. There was no mistaking the bone white mask. They had been Death Eaters.

"I don't understand. Why were they after me?" Lisa asked, unable to stop staring at the body of the man who could just as well have abducted her. "How did you stop him from apparating away with me?"

Her questions were met only with silence. Her savior was searching the Death Eater now, oblivious to her, or so it appeared. He seemed intent on finding something and seemed to be disappointed when he found nothing.

"Who are you?" Lisa tried a different approach.

The hooded man stood, regarded her for a moment and then began to back away until he was completely swallowed by darkness, leaving the young woman alone in the alley. Alone with two dead Death Eaters.

Lisa sprinted all the way home and didn't stop until she was safely inside her flat. Everything hit her at once and she barely made it into the bathroom before she vomited. She couldn't believe any of it. It was like some kind of horror story, yet she had lived through it.

She replayed everything back in her mind. The way they had attacked her wasn't like they meant her any harm at all. They had healed her face after she had fallen. Then they had ripped open her shirt…

Lisa rose from the floor and used her wand to light up the bathroom. She tore off her ruined shirt and turned so that she could see her side in the mirror. The Death Eaters had been very interested in something on her ribs, and she needed to know what it had been.

She raised her bra and saw it. She was certain it had not been there before. She rubbed at it, thinking that it might be… well she didn't know really.

It was the color of red wine, and rather small. Easy to miss in all honesty. A small oval with an off center cross. Like a scar or birthmark on her rib-cage, just to the left of her breast. Right where they had touched her.

"What the hell is going on?" Lisa asked out loud as she stared at the strange mark.

* * *

He could see into her flat from his position. It felt wrong to watch her, but he felt guilty. She shouldn't have been hurt. He should have acted sooner, but he hadn't. He had no excuse for his lack of action except that he wanted to know why they were following her. When it looked like they were going to rape her, he had finally let loose his arrow and set the first one on fire.

He'd been following them all the way from Knockturn Alley. He recognized the first one from the information he'd been given a week ago. Albert Runcorn was a tall, square jawed man with heavy brows and hunched shoulders. He and his companion had turned up tonight and had donned the common black robes, used by many as dress clothes but also the standard uniform of the Death Eaters. Harry hadn't followed them into the Leaky Cauldron, and hadn't been sure what they were up to. For a moment, as he'd been scrambling over the rooftops, he had thought that they might have just been going for a pint.

But then they had followed the girl out of the pub, and Runcorn had split off. At first he hadn't known why, and had decided to stay on the younger man who was staying close to the girl. Then they had trapped her in the alley. He'd sensed the wards before he'd reached them. Runcorn had gone ahead to set the trap. The second one had been there to make sure the girl went the right way. Then they'd descended upon her, and he'd watched.

"Stupid." he chided himself again.

He could see her now, wandering around her apartment wearing her jeans and bra. He felt his face get a little hot, but brushed it off. She was safe, and from what he could tell, unharmed.

He stood now, satisfied that the girl was fine, and stepped off the edge of the roof, swearing that he wouldn't hesitate ever again. This was not a game. This was not a joke. This was real, and he had a mission to accomplish.

He had a destiny to fulfill.


	4. Chapter 4

4\. The First Link

Auror Tonks arrived at her normal time through the floo on the atrium level of the Ministry. She then took her usual route through the atrium to the lifts, and selected her level. She had to wait through four stops before reaching her floor, and when she stepped of the lift, she was shocked to find the Department of Magical Law Enforcement a storm of activity. She hadn't seen it like this since near the end of the war, just before Voldemort fell.

Weaving her way through the sea of people, she managed to arrive at her desk where Kingsley was talking to Arthur Weasley, a stout, slightly balding redhead man, who was in charge of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department.

"... was definitely a knife. The examiner confirmed it an hour ago." Arthur was saying.

"But Runcorn was killed with something else." Kingsley confirmed, and Arthur nodded. Tonks' eyes widened. there was only one Runcorn that she'd ever heard of.

"Wait, what happened?" Tonks asked. Kingsley turned to his partner, a look of grim puzzlement of his normally stoic face.

"Albert Runcorn, and Thaddeus McFowell were found dead this morning in an alleyway just west of Diagon Alley. All indications is that they were murdered. More troubling is the fact that both were found with Death Eater masks, and Dark Marks on their left forearms." Kingsley explained.

"Holy shit!" Tonks said with shock.

"More puzzling is the method in which they were killed." Arthur said. "It was some kind of modified killing curse. everyone is baffled."

"Wait... a modified killing curse?" Tonks looked completely flummoxed.

"From what I've heard so far," Kingsley stepped in before Arthur could continue, as he was pretty well known for long winded explanations. "both men had their robes set on fire. they each managed to get out of them without being burned, but each suffered wounds from edge weapons. McFowell had a knife wound in his chest, while Runcorn had some other kind of edged weapon wound, though we can't tell for sure what it was. Each of them were killed with magic, and all evidence supports that it was the killing curse, but it isn't like the killing curse as we know it."

"How do you mean?" Tonks wondered.

"From what the Examiner was able to determine," Arthur said quickly before Kingsley could head him off again. "it placed Runcorn in a sort of state of sleep before it shut down his body. While it was pretty much instantaneous, Runcorn might have felt like he was going to sleep."

"So why stab them first?" Tonks asked.

"We don't have any ideas about that other than whoever did it wanted them to suffer first." Kingsley stated.

"I've got to go." Arthur said, shaking Kingsley's hand. "As soon as I hear about the other wound, I'll let you know."

"Thanks Arthur." Kingsley nodded and then sat down at his desk. Tonks leaned forward intrigued.

"Runcorn had the Dark Mark?" Tonks asked still baffled by what she had learned.

"Appears so." Kingsley said with a heavy sigh.

"Well that's kind of a big deal." Tonks pointed out. "He headed up the project to ward the Ministry against Death Eater infiltration!"

"And that's why Madam Bones is upstairs right now with the Minister and Undersecretary Umbridge and a few others. The Minister is pretty upset and everyone is wondering if those wards are worth anything and if there are still Death Eaters working inside." Kingsley said, glancing around suspiciously. "So not only do we have a serial killer out there draining young women, but now this."

"Who's been assigned the case?" Tonks wondered.

"Dawlish and Gallagher. Rufus gave it to them this morning first thing. They're out looking at the scene." Kingsley replied. Tonks made a face. She and John Dawlish did not see eye to eye on a number of matters, and he seemed to hate the fact that she was climbing the ranks so quickly.

"Hey." Kingsley said and Tonks looked up sharpy. "I know you two have your thing, but we have our own case to worry about, alright?"

Tonks nodded and Kingsley regarded her for a moment. "I need you focused on this Tonks."

"I'm focused." Tonks said adamantly.

"Good. We're heading to Nottingham today." Kingsley sighed.

Tonks nodded, but in her head all she could think of was how pointless it was. Given the timeline they had established, the next victim had already been taken, and now it was a matter of time until another body turned up. There were too many nineteen year old girls, and not enough Aurors to protect each one. And they still had no idea how to identify the ones who were at risk.

"Let's go." Kingsley said getting to his feet. "We're going to speak with Eloise Midgen today."

* * *

Four days later found Lisa Turpin huddled on her tiny sofa in her miniscule flat where she'd been for four days. She was wrapped in a thick blanket wearing her favorite pajama pants and a very old t-shirt staring into nothingness, shivering. Her eyes had dark circles under them as she had hardly slept since that night in the alleyway. She had been so terrified after the attack that she just couldn't bring herself to leave.

When the first knock came, Lisa nearly leapt out of her skin. She screamed in fright as she fell off the couch while trying to get her wand out from under the blanket she had cocooned herself in.

"Lisa?" Came a concerned feminine voice. "Lisa, are you alright?"

"Mandy?" Lisa asked as she managed to get free of the blanket. "Mandy?" she called a little louder.

"Yeah it's me." Mandy replied. "What the hell are you doing here? Where have you been? You didn't meet me Saturday like we planned, and Mrs. Carter said you hadn't been to work in two days."

Lisa crossed the room and looked out the peep hole, her wand at the ready in case it was a trick.

"What did I swear you to secrecy to in fourth year?" Lisa quizzed. She could see Mandy look puzzled.

"That you let Anthony Goldstein feel your chest and that he passed out drunk before anything else could happen between you, even though he told everyone that you two had sex." Mandy replied.

Lisa unlocked the door and quickly reached out and violently pulled Mandy inside the flat before slamming the door again and locking it. Mandy looked around in confusion as her best friend looked out the peephole again to make sure no one else was there.

Lisa turned to her best friend and hugged her tightly, extremely happy to see her friend.

"What's going on with you?" Mandy asked. "I was worried that you got sucked into one of your medical books when you didn't show up Saturday, so I figured I'd go by your shop and let you take me to lunch to make up for standing me up. You've got that poor old lady worried sick you know."

"I was attacked Friday night." Lisa replied shakily as she went to the kitchen window and looking out to see if anyone was there watching her. "I think it might have been a Death Eater."

"Oh my god! Are you alright?" Mandy asked with concern. Lisa nodded as she turned to face her friend. "What happened?"

"I was walking home and I got to the alley that I usually take when this guy just appears in front of me. Then a second guy was behind me and they tried to kidnap me. Mandy… they were Death Eaters!" Lisa said, suddenly breaking into tears. Mandy hugged her tightly, and led her to the couch.

"How did you fight them off?" Mandy asked as they sat down. Lisa took a moment to get herself under control before she answered.

"I didn't." Lisa shook her head. "I tried to get away, but they put me under a body bind curse. Then they vanished my coat and tore open my shirt. I thought for sure they were going to rape me or something, but… they didn't. They just wanted to make sure I had this mark on my ribs. And then… someone else came and killed them."

"Oh my god." Mandy gasped.

"Who was it?" Mandy asked intrigued. She found herself shaking as well.

"I don't know." Lisa shook her head again. "I didn't see much until the first Death Eater was killed. And then I was freed. After he killed the second Death Eater, he gave me my wand and handbag back and told me to go home."

"Wait… you said they wanted to see a mark? What mark?" Mandy asked suddenly very intrigued.

Lisa lifted her t-shirt and the side of her bra to reveal the birthmark she'd found after she'd gotten home following the attack. Mandy leaned closer to her friend to get a good look at the dark red oval with the off center cross in it.

"When did you get that?" Mandy asked. She sounded strange to Lisa, and the expression on her face gave Lisa pause.

"I don't know." Lisa admitted watching her friend back away with a very weird look on her face. "I can't remember noticing it before that night."

"This is so bizarre." Mandy said. Lisa looked up with bafflement as Mandy began undoing her jacket and her blouse. She moved her clothing aside and lifted the left side of her own bra, and there, in nearly the exact location as Lisa's was a small knut sized oval with a cross in it. It was even the same dark red color as Lisa's.

"What the hell?" Lisa asked.

"It showed up like a month ago. I was going to make an appointment with my healer to have it looked at." Mandy said. "It doesn't hurt or anything... it's just... it just appeared out of nowhere."

"But how can I have the same mark in the same place?" Lisa asked.

"Well I don't know, do I?' Mandy snapped. "I'm a little more concerned with the fact that Death Eaters re so interested in it. And this other guy… Who was he?"

Lisa just shrugged. "He wore this sort of leather armor costume thing, and he had a hood that was hiding his face. I think he had it charmed to disguise his voice because when he spoke it was like a choir or something. It was eerie. He disappeared and I ran all the way home. I've been to scared to do anything. I haven't even slept."

"Didn't you call the Aurors?" Mandy asked. Lisa shook her head in the negative. "Lisa, what's the matter with you? They need to know so they can catch this guy. Gods, with everything going on you need to tell the Aurors everything."

Lisa said nothing and Mandy got up, pacing for a moment before turning to her friend.

"Put on some clothes!" Mandy ordered. "Gather some things together. We'll go talk to the Aurors, and then you can stay with me for a few nights until they're sure you'll be safe enough to get back to your normal routine."

Lisa started to protest but Mandy didn't want to hear any of it.

"Let's go!" She snapped and Lisa rather reluctantly went to her tiny bedroom to comply. In truth, Lisa was grateful. Perhaps with Mandy around, she'd be far less afraid. She didn't want to become a burden of her best friend, and knew that living with Mandy would disrupt her routine, but she knew that it would only be a few days at most, and she wouldn't fall behind in her studies that badly. Besides, if she were being honest, she could use a break.

It was only a half hour later that the two young women entered the Ministry of Magic. Lisa hadn't been here since she'd gotten her Apparition license just before starting her final year at Hogwarts. Lisa remembered seeing loads of Aurors throughout the Atrium as she followed her mother to get her license. Today though there were only a handful milling around. Lisa thought that since the turn in the war, it was likely Aurors were off rounding up Death Eaters now instead of waiting for them to attack. She did notice however quite a few reporters gathered near a large door. They all looked pretty excited about something. When Lisa asked about it, Mandy claimed to have no idea.

Mandy stopped at a row of lifts and pushed the button to call one.

"Do you know where you're going?" Lisa asked. Mandy looked slightly affronted by this.

"If I didn't, I wouldn't be a very good Ministry employee, would I?" Mandy frowned. "I actually spend a lot of time running back and forth between the different departments getting expense reports."

The lift arrived and both girls stepped inside and Mandy punched the appropriate button. Lisa held on, bracing herself for the ride, which in her opinion was worse than riding the carts at Gringott's. Lisa had nearly failed her Apparition test because she had been nauseated at the time.

"I hate those things." Lisa grumbled as she and Mandy stepped out of the lift a bit later.

"You get used to it. They have them at St. Mungo's you know. You'll be riding them all the time when you become a healer." Mandy pointed out.

The two ladies entered an office with a lot of activity. Lisa was rather taken aback by it all. Witches and Wizards in midnight blue cloaks, or muggle attire wandered back and forth between cubicles carrying out various tasks. A heavy set barrel-chested man with a steel gray beard sat at a large desk in front of the door. He looked at the pair of young women with a gaze of indifference.

"What are you here for Brocklehurst?" He said in a bored tone. "You don't normally come by until Thursday."

"We need to speak to an Auror, Slattery." Mandy said quickly. "My friend was attacked Friday night."

"Why didn't you get in contact with someone sooner?" Slattery asked, looking perturbed now as he looked to Lisa.

"I was afraid. I haven't left my house since it happened." Lisa explained, feeling like a child who got caught stealing.

"Where did it happen?" Slattery asked. Lisa told him, and to her and Mandy's surprise, Slattery almost leapt off his seat.

"Roughly what time did it happen?" He asked, already jotting down a quick note.

"Around ten at night." Lisa replied.

"Don't go anywhere." Slattery said as he took the parchment he'd been writing on and went into the chaos that was the Auror office.

"What do you think…" Mandy began to ask when Slattery returned with a man with a pinched face and long straw colored hair and dark brown eyes.

"I'm Auror Dawlish, which of you was attacked?" He said eyeing them both critically.

"M-me." Lisa said.

"Come with me." He said. Both girls then followed him through the bustle to a messy cubicle that had heaps and heaps of files stacked all over a large mahogany desk. He pointed to two chairs and then called out for someone named Gallagher, who turned out to be a very thin man with oily short black hair and a long goatee. His left eye was brown and the right eye was a milky white and looked as if someone had tried to cut it out of his head.

"Ok, let's start with your name." Dawlish said, grabbing the girl's attention.

It took an hour to get through the story, and eventually Dawlish had called for a sketch artist to come and make a drawing of the man who had saved Lisa.

"I told you already that it was pointless because he was wearing a hood!" Lisa said getting thoroughly irritated.

"But you're sure he was a magical?" Gallagher asked for what felt like the thirteenth time.

"Yes!" Lisa growled. "I told you that he used some sort of spell to kill the Death Eaters."

"Let's go back a bit. You said these guys… the Death Eaters didn't try and rape you or torture you… he was just interested in something on your ribcage?" Dawlish said, trying to calm Lisa down.

"Yes." She sighed. "They kept… touching it like it was something special. They were really happy that I had it. They said that they had been misled or something and that I was destined for something great."

"And you've never seen this mark before that night?" Dawlish continued. "You never noticed it while you were showering or anything like that?"

Lisa shook her head in the negative and Dawlish sighed. Gallagher just stared at her skeptically.

"I hate to ask you this Miss Turpin, but we are going to need to see this mark, as it was obviously important to your assailant." Dawlish said grimly.

"What, here?" Mandy asked looking embarrassed. Lisa also looked as if the idea of exposing herself was humiliating.

"No, no, of course not." Dawlish said as he got up. "Let me just… oh Tonks!"

Mandy and Lisa turned to see a very attractive witch in boots, black stockings, torn denim shorts, leather jacket and short spiky pink hair turn to look at them all.

"I need your assistance over here."

Tonks came over with a gentle smile at the two young women.

"Ladies, this is Auror Tonks. "Tonks, this is Miss Brocklehurst and Miss Turpin. Miss Turpin was attacked Friday night, and we're pretty sure it was Runcorn and McFowell."

"No shit." Tonks said looking amazed. "So how'd you do it? Piercing hex? Focused cutting jinx?"

"I didn't kill them." Lisa replied shaking her head. "It was the man in the hood."

Tonks turned questioning eyes to Dawlish who shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Apparently Runcorn and McFowell seemed pretty interested in a mark on Miss Turpin, and we need you to take her to the powder room and get a photo of it." Gallagher said eyeing the girls suspiciously.

"Alright." Tonks nodded and waved for Lisa to follow. Both she and Mandy got up and Tonks made to protest but Mandy held up her hand.

"Trust me, you're going to want to talk to both of us." She said. Tonks turned again to Dawlish who looked like he wanted to tell them to hurry up.

"Alright Miss Turpin," Tonks said a few moments later after she'd gotten a camera and taken the girls to the closest ladies room. "I assume this mark is in a scandalous area, so, let's see it then."

Lisa, feeling very self-conscious lifted her t-shirt for the second time that day and moved the side of her bra up giving Tonks a clear view of the mysterious mark. Tonks took three pictures and then told Lisa she was finished. When Tonks looked up she saw Mandy undoing her blouse.

"What's this then?" She asked as Mandy lifted the side of her own bra revealing the same mark on her ribs.

"Are you two, like, twins?" Tonks asked curiously. Both girls shook their heads.

"Mine appeared about a month ago." Mandy said. Tonks wasted no more time and captured three pictures of Mandy's mark.

"Did you mention that you had the same mark on you to Dawlish?" Tonks asked. Mandy shook her head.

"He hasn't really been listening to what I've told him." Lisa grumbled.

"Don't let him fool you." Tonks smiled. "Dawlish is one of the best for a reason." Now let's get you back, and I'll get these photos down to get processed."

She started to lead them out when she suddenly stopped and turned to look at them. "You said that the marks showed up recently?"

Mandy nodded.

"And you're not related in any way?" She continued. The girls shook their heads. Tonks stood for a moment, pondering this before finally opening the door and leading the ladies back to Dawlish who only had a few more questions for them before he let them go.

Tonks took the camera down to the Auror photo processor and requested a rush. The lady who took the camera smiled and nodded before bustling into her darkroom. Tonks practically sprinted back to her desk, her brow furrowed with confusion.

She sat down heavily in her chair as Kingsley looked up as he passed over the notes he'd taken while they'd been in Manchester speaking to Megan Jones, who apparently had very little time to talk to them. She was preparing for her wedding, and barely answered any of their questions. Tonks knew Kingsley was finally coming to the same conclusion she had a few weeks ago. There were too many girls to try and find, and not enough time.

Tonks set Kingsley's notes aside and picked up the folder with Marjorie Pucey's autopsy photos in it. She began looking through them, concentrating hard. Kingsley looked up with curiosity.

"What are you looking at?" He asked.

"Shh!" Tonks replied sourly as she opened a second file and began combing through the pictures of the Moon girl. Kingsley watched her as she scanned the pictures carefully.

"What does that look like to you?" She asked, passing a picture to her partner.

Kingsley took the photo as Tonks got up and came around to look over his shoulder.

"Like a million runes interlinked." Kingsley said with a shrug.

"And they are." Tonks nodded. "…Except that one."

Tonks pointed to one particular rune on the dead girl's side.

"That one isn't a rune." She said. "I can't believe I didn't notice it before now. It's not even the same color as the runes. I've just met two young ladies with the exact same mark in the exact same spot."

Kingsley looked up with wide eyes. "What?"

"Where are the photos of the Pike girl?" Tonks asked, looking around their shared cubicle. Kingsley gave a quick look around the hodge podge and snatched up a file resting on a teetering tower of cases. He opened it and the two looked through the examiner's photos.

"There!" Tonks said triumphantly. There on the Pike girl's left side, nearly buried under a million interlinked runes was the same dark red mark. An oval with an offset cross.

"So this mark is on all three girls… and you just met two more." Kingsley said as he got up from his seat. "But what does it mean?"

"Runcorn attacked one of those girls I was telling you about but she claims someone in a hood killed him. I don't think Dawlish takes that very seriously though." Tonks scowled.

"She was lucky then. But that doesn't matter right now. What matters is this mark. What is it, where did it come from, and how many more girls have it?"

"How do we find out?" Tonks asked, dreading the answer. Kingsley held up the list of girls they had yet to speak to. Tonks shook her head grimly. "I knew you were going to say that."

* * *

"They finally published the story." Remus said tossing the morning edition of The Daily Prophet onto Sirius's desk.

"Took the rat long enough. Those two bastards have been dead nearly a week now." Sirius replied picking up the paper and reading the front page. "Spineless piece of shite probably tried to bury it as long as he could."

"Or he was actually being a responsible journalist." Remus offered sarcastically. "I don't think he really had much of a choice. Too many people are asking about the proposed security checks. I overheard that there was a big meeting with the Minister and Madam bones about the wards that were supposed to identify Death Eaters when they entered the Ministry. Since Runcorn was the one who supposedly set them up, it's called into question whether or not they actually work or not."

"Didn't you say that the wards actually caught people though?" Sirius looked up.

"They did." Remus nodded. "But it could have been set up so it appeared they were working. And as I recall there wasn't anyone caught who was higher than a courier or a clerk."

"There's no mention of the girl in here." Sirius said tossing the paper down. "Just that Runcorn and his pal were found murdered and were both marked. Nothing else about what happened to them. It's almost as if the fact that they were Death Eaters is a side note."

"Makes sense." Remus nodded. "Most people won't even notice that bit."

"And it keeps people in the dark about the real danger that's still looming over us all." Sirius sighed. "This is going to slowly, and Anna's getting anxious."

"She's worried." Remus said and Sirius nodded.

"I am too." Sirius acknowledged. "You know the funny thing is that she was fully supportive of all this before we got here. It was an abstract idea I guess. But now that we're here, and this is happening… I've got to find a way to get her mind off of it, or end it all together so she can sleep at night."

"Well, I may have a solution… or at least a placebo." Remus said handing over a pamphlet. "They announced the Halloween charity Ball, and they're looking for help in organizing it."

"Thank you." Sirius broke into a wide smile. "This is exactly what she needs. The only downside is I'll have to attend it, but then again, what better way to start forging alliances than by donating shit tons of gold to help… what is this for?"

"Orphans of the war." Remus replied. "The gold helps to feed, cloth and house them as well as tuition for Hogwarts."

"Noble cause." Sirius nodded approvingly. "Whose behind this?"

"It was one of Dumbledore's last requests. He donated the majority of his gold and belongings to it. There's going to be an auction. He had some really amazing stuff I'm told."

"Yeah and I bet there's a few Death Eaters who'd like to get their grimy mitts on some of that stuff." Sirius frowned. "Well, then I guess we should make plans to attend a ball next month."

"I'll get on that this afternoon." Remus said as he got up from his seat. "In the meantime, what is the plan moving forward. With Runcorn eliminated, we don't have much more to go on. The Death Eaters have been pretty quiet, and most of the know ones haven't been seen in some time."

"A very good question, and one I myself would like to know the answer to." Sirius smirked. "After today's proceedings, why don't we go to my parents home and have a little chat about that. He should be awake by then."


	5. Chapter 5

5\. I Wasn't Trained To Play Nice

Alastor Moody entered his home and locked all seventeen locks behind him. He glanced into his Foe Glass that sat next to the door and found the shapes of his enemies standing in the perpetual fog as usual. He stumped into the sitting room, ignited the fire in the fireplace, poured himself a glass of brandy and threw it back, smacking his lips in appreciation. Tonight had been good. Seeing the old crowd and reminiscing about some of the tougher criminals they had chased down had been good fun. But as he stood in front of his liquor cabinet he rolled his shoulders slightly because he knew things were about to get much more interesting.

Moody had been the most celebrated Auror in his day. He was well known for his tenacity and his spell repertoire. At least he had been. Now he was more known for his paranoia. But you couldn't be the most feared Auror among the criminal underground without making more than a few enemies. And it looked like one of those enemies was in his house tonight.

Two things disturbed Moody about this. The first was that his Foe Glass showed no one in close proximity. And the second, and more fascinating, was how the intruder managed to get through his wards without setting off any of the alarms Moody had set up. The only reason Moody had known someone was there was thanks to his magical electric blue eye, which could see through walls, among other things.

He'd seen the intruder the moment he apparated in front of his house. Moody never apparated directly into his house so he could never be ambushed. He figured whoever it was that was lying in wait had been there a while, and he wanted to give the idiot a sporting chance. So, he pretended he wasn't aware and allowed the moron to get into better position. He pretended to pour himself another drink, his magical eye watching the intruder until he was in perfect position.

Moody then spun and cast four spells in rapid succession with the intention of fully incapacitating this imbecile. Moody's aim was better than it had ever been… and yet, not a single spell hit its target. Moody fired spell after spell after spell, and his intruder managed to slip and dodge every single one. He didn't even erect a shield. Moody's sitting room was quickly crumbling with every missed spell.

"You should have never come here!" Moody shouted. "I'm going to make you wish you'd never been born!"

Moody took aim again and just as he was focusing his magic, his wand was violently ripped from his hands, and he himself was shoved backward into a chair. Moody let out a grunt of shock and stared in growing fear as a slim man in black stepped forward into the firelight.

Moody took in the appearance of his murderer. He was thin, but not overly skinny from what the old Auror could tell. The intruder was dressed in some kind of black leather. Dragonhide if his good eye wasn't mistaken. He could see the handles of throwing knives on either leg and two on the chest. There was a quiver of arrows on his back, and a bow slung over his shoulder. It was the strangest thing Moody had ever seen in his life. But it was the hood that troubled Moody the most. The charm on it was unlike anything Moody had ever encountered before. He couldn't see through the charm to identify his killer. Not even his magical eye could penetrate the void.

"Well, you got me." Moody snarled. "Get on with it then, you coward. Kill me already."

"I have no intention of killing you."

The voice was ethereal, like a choir on angels speaking as one, and Moody's real eye went wide. This was getting more and more interesting with every breath.

"I was told you knew a lot about Death Eaters, and I have a few questions."

"I ain't no expert on those Pureblood pussies. I've put a lot of them in Azkaban, and a few in the ground." Moody chortled.

"My sources tell me you know their tactics well." The hooded man said, twirling Moody's wand in his left hand.

"Tactics?" Moody scoffed. "Boy they ain't no army. Their terrorists, and bloody stupid ones at that. The only thing they're really good at is outnumbering and overpowering their victims."

The hooded man nodded thoughtfully and then, to Moody's surprise, the hooded man handed back his wand.

"I was told I was going to like you." The man in black said.

"Is that right?" Moody said snatching back his wand. "And who was it that told you that lad?"

"Albus Dumbledore."

Moody stopped and stared at the hood for a long moment before he leaned forward in his seat, his hand rubbing over his beard stubble.

"So you're him then are ya?" Moody asked, looking a bit surprised. "Thought the old man had lost his marbles before he'd passed. He kept telling me it wasn't over yet, and that someone was coming to finish it all. He even told me that this someone would need my help. Guess he was talking about you then."

The hood just nodded.

"Any chance you'll introduce yourself then?" Moody asked.

"Better if I don't." The hood replied. "For now anyway. I end this, I'll buy drinks all night and tell you my story. For now, I need to know everything you know about the Death Eaters and Voldemort himself."

"More secrets." Moody glowered, shaking his head. "Secrets is what got old Albus killed."

"And it's what kept so many of you alive." The hood pointed out. "The more people who knew the truth, the more people Voldemort would have moved Heaven and Earth to kill."

"You're talking about the horcruxes." Moody nodded. "Yeah, Albus told me all about those after he fought old snake face in the Ministry. Told me a lot that first night I went to him, but I knew he was going to take some of his secrets to his grave. I didn't believe half of what he told me that night, especially about those foul things. But he told me where to find a couple of books, and I don't mind telling you they made me sick. I burned them after I read them, just like he asked, and I've been waiting these past months, I guess for you to show up. So I guess the only question left is how are you going to end this?"

"The only way it can end." The hood said in that eerie choral of voices. "With Voldemort dead once and for all."

"You got balls, I'll give you that." Moody said rising from his seat and going for another brandy. "You broke into my house… without setting off any of my alarms. You managed to avoid every spell I threw at you and disarmed me…"

Moody turned back and looked at the hooded figure with both his eyes.

"How did you do that?" Moody asked.

The hood just continued to stand there, without speaking. Moody looked him over and to his utter confusion couldn't see through the armor or into the hood. It was really amazing work, but it made Moody uneasy.

"I was told you would have the names many of the Death Eaters. I want them. And anything else you can tell me about the old ones and the new recruits." The hood said finally, and Moody drank his brandy, regarding the hood for another moment.

"Albus made me promise to assist you." Moody sighed. He made a motion for the hood to follow him into his study where he opened a large drawer on his desk. He tapped it with his wand and closed the drawer. He tapped it twice and then opened it once again. Moody then reached in and took out a large file overflowing with newspaper clippings, photos and Auror reports. He held it out to the hood who took it in his gloved hands and opened it, scanning the first couple of pictures.

"That isn't even close to everything, but it's all I've managed cobble together in the last ten years. Some of it's from the first war. I don't know any of the younger ones, but I'm willing to bet most of them are the kids of the shits who threw in with Voldemort last time." Moody claimed. The hood closed the file, his head turned to Moody and he nodded in thanks.

"Can I give you some advice?" Moody asked and the Hood nodded again.

"Albus was an optimist. He believed the very best of people despite obvious evidence to the contrary. I personally don't like the idea of killing someone if I don't have to, and Albus refused to kill anyone. He always believed there were other ways to end conflict without violence. So, my advice to you is this… Don't hesitate. Don't look for other options. If you face any of them and they resist… take them out. You hear what I'm saying?"

"Don't worry." The hood said softly, the choir of voices sounding more angelic when he spoke low like this. "I wasn't trained to play nice."

* * *

Rufus Scrimgeour looked up from his paperwork as four of his Aurors came in and sat down. Kingsley Shacklebolt and his partner Nymphadora Tonks along with John Dawlish and his partner Rupert Gallagher. Shacklebolt and Tonks were currently heading up the murders of three girls in what appeared to be some sort of ritual killing. As of the moment, it appeared the murders were finished. So far as they were aware, another girl hadn't been abducted, but they would know in a few days when Kingsley believed a body would show up.

Dawlish and Gallagher were investigating the murder of Albert Runcorn, a well-known Ministry Official, and the man who'd been in charge of setting up wards in the Ministry that would identify Death Eaters before the fall of Voldemort a few months ago. Runcorn was found with Death Eater paraphernalia, and it had cast shadows of doubt on his work which was why the Ministry was now rewarding itself, and had placed extra security measures on certain entrances to the building.

"You lot look troubled." Rufus noticed.

"We think our cases might be related." John Dawlish said grimly. Dawlish was a no nonsense sort with close cropped sandy hair, and piercing blue eyes. Rufus wasn't a fan of the man's personality, but respected his work. Dawlish was a top notch investigator and a real asset to the Aurors.

"How so?" Rufus asked. Kingsley placed a folder of photographs on Scrimgeour's desk. The Head of the Aurors opened it and looked at the photos of the three young women who'd been killed. The photos were all centered on the left side of the body, particularly, the rib cage.

"Do you see it?" Kingsley asked.

"I see a lot here Kingsley, please be specific." Rufus stated with exasperation.

"The runes are all in black. Tonks said. "All except one."

And then Rufus saw it. It was a little hard to see at first, but once he'd noticed it, he found it on the other two girls. A deep red oval with an off center cross.

"That isn't a rune." Rufus said. "At least I'm guessing."

"We're not sure at this point." Kingsley stated. "The only thing we know for sure is that the killer didn't put it there."

"And how do you know that?" Rufus asked. At this, Rupert Gallagher handed over another folder with photos in it. They were focused on the same area of the body as the three victims, but there were no runes. Only the red oval and cross.

"What's this?" Rufus asked now bewildered.

"Those are photos of two girls who came in and claimed to have been attacked by Runcorn. Well, one of them was attacked. She said that Runcorn was interested in that mark. We had Tonks take photos of it, and her friend apparently had the same mark in the same place." Dawlish explained.

"So there's at least two more potential victims out there." Rufus frowned.

"And it's the Death Eaters who are looking for them." Tonks said.

"We still don't know if Runcorn was a Death Eater." Gallagher argued.

"He had the mark!" Tonks said raising her voice.

"It could have been put on him after he was killed!" Dawlish shouted her down.

"ENOUGH!" Scrimgeour shouted, silencing his subordinates. "How did the girl escape Runcorn? Did she say?"

"Oh yeah, get this boss…" Gallagher began as if he were about to share the world's funniest joke. "She claims a guy in dragonhide showed up, killed Runcorn and McFowell with a bow and arrow and then vanished."

"What?" Rufus asked in disbelief. "A bow and arrow?"

"She said he wore a hood and she couldn't see his face." Dawlish added "Personally I think she's just blocking. She killed them both and was so traumatized by what happened she projected it onto some made up hero."

"We've seen it before." Gallagher added.

"Except for the edge weapon wounds." Kingsley pointed out. "If she used magic to wound either Runcorn or McFowell, the wounds would have been different."

"There was magical residue on the wounds." Dawlish said and Kingsley shook his head.

"Because no one has ever used charms on something that could be used as a weapon before." Tonks rolled her eyes.

"Are you both finished?" Rufus asked, clearly annoyed. He was well aware of the rivalry between Tonks and Dawlish. John resented Tonks for her rapid rise in the ranks. In his mind, she did not deserve to be part of the investigators because she hadn't proven herself. Amelia Bones disagreed, and that was the only opinion Rufus cared about.

"For the time being, you're going to consider the girl's story to be fact." Rufus ordered and both Dawlish and Gallagher rolled their eyes. "I mean it. She could have seen our killer."

"Then why didn't he take her, boss?" Gallagher asked. "He had the perfect opportunity. For all we know, if this guy was real, he was going to take her and Runcorn fought him off and lost his life in the process. Then he branded Runcorn with the Dark Mark."

"How thick are you?" Tonks shouted, unable to stop herself. "You have to willingly take the Mark. Or did you not read any of the hundreds of transcripts when Death Eaters were caught seventeen years ago? It was a show of loyalty. If Runcorn had the Mark, then He took it willingly."

"Ok, I've had just about enough." Rufus shouted rising from his seat. "Now you listen and you listen good. From this moment on, you lot will put your personal bullshit aside, and start acting like professionals, or so help me gods, I'll have you cleaning out privies in Azkaban! Now… Until we have evidence to the contrary, you will presume that this girl's story is fact, and someone did come to her aid. I want this good Samaritan found and brought in for questioning."

"The girl gave us all she knew." Gallagher sighed, looking perturbed. "Guy showed up and then vanished. The only thing we have to go on is that he's a fan of black."

"She isn't going to be able to give us anything more." Dawlish agreed.

"And what about the fact that she and her friend are both carrying the same mark as our three victims?" Tonks asked.

"At the very least we should monitor those girls in case someone makes a grab for them again." Kingsley stated.

Rufus considered this and then nodded. "As the mark on the girls is related to your case, their protection falls to you. Do what you need to do. As for you two, I don't care if you have to start walking Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade every day, someone knows who this guy is. Find him."

The four Aurors rose and left the office, with Kingsley lingering for a moment. When the others were gone he turned to Rufus with a grim expression.

"Rufus, you realize that this guy in black could be exactly what the Turpin girl said he was. Someone hunting Death Eaters." He said in his deep rumbling baritone.

"That's all we fucking need right now." Scrimgeour scowled. "A god damned vigilante."

* * *

"Food's here!" Mandy called over her shoulder as she opened the front door. A boy around her age held three bags in one hand, and a clipboard in the other.

"Hi." He said with a smile.

"That was really fast." Mandy said, handing over some money. "Keep the change."

The boy smiled and handed the bags to Mandy who flashed one last smile before shutting the door and taking the food to the table. Lisa entered the kitchen, her hair still slightly damp from her shower. She was wearing shorts and a t-shirt and looked tired. Mandy gave her friend a concerned smile as they both sat down.

"I'm going to go back to work tomorrow." Lisa said with a sigh. "I can't keep myself locked up in here. I'm going crazy."

"Are you sure?" Mandy asked. "I mean there could be more…"

"I'm sure." Lisa said quickly before Mandy could talk her out of it. She'd spent the last two weeks at her best friend's house because she was too afraid to return to her own home. But now she was beginning to go stir crazy. She hadn't been to work since she'd been attacked and had spent her days studying her medical books, and her nights trying to sleep and failing, though in the last few days it had gotten better.

"You've been great Mandy, but I've got to get through this on my own. I can't hide away. I was attacked, and I lived."

"Okay." Mandy said, realizing that her friend had made up her mind. In a way she was proud that Lisa was prepared to take back her life. However, she was still worried. Not just for Lisa, but herself as well. The mark they shared was some sort of target, and Mandy figured it was only a matter of time before she found herself being attacked, and she doubted some stranger in black would be there to save her.

"You don't have to go back to your flat if you don't want." Mandy offered.

"I know." Lisa smiled, a genuine smile. The first in almost a month. "But I need to. I need to get back to normal. Besides, we lived together for seven years, and you're just too neat for my tastes. I can't even leave my bowl in the sink without worrying you're going to explode."

"Oh shut it, I'm not that bad!" Mandy replied. "But if you leave your towel on the floor again, I'm going to blast that cute little butt of yours right off!"

"See?" Lisa said pointing her chopsticks at Mandy. "Psycho."

Mandy rolled her eyes and opened one of the Chinese food boxes and began to fill her plate, while Lisa opened a few others, looking for her sweet and sour chicken.

"Has there been any word on the investigation?" Lisa asked after a few minutes of silent eating.

Mandy shook her head and took a drink of her tea.

"I don't imagine they'll go shouting about anything, and too be honest, those two who we talked to seemed pretty unconcerned about it. I don't think he believed you about that guy who saved you." Mandy sighed.

"Would you if you'd been him?" Lisa asked. "Stuff like that only happens in stories. I still can't believe it happened. I wish I knew who it was, or why they were there."

"I've thought a lot about it, and all I can think of is that you've got some sort of secret admirer slash stalker." Mandy chuckled. Lisa gave her a wry look and shook her head.

"Do you think there are any more?" Lisa asked softly. "Girls like us I mean. Girls who have that mark."

Mandy could only shrug. "I don't know. But it's weird that they were so interested in it. And I think those girls who were found dead had it too and that the Aurors are keeping it quiet."

"How do you figure that?" Lisa asked, though she was pretty sure they were thinking the same.

"It can't be coincidence that we both have that mark." Mandy asked. "How you went so long without noticing it, I'll never know, but we have it, and you were attacked. There are three girls who've turned up dead, and they were all in Hogwarts at the same time we were, though two of them were a year ahead. All three of them were found in the same condition. It's just too much coincidence, and I think the mark is the key. But I have no idea what it is, or why it showed up so suddenly."

"That's pretty much what I've been thinking about these past two weeks." Lisa nodded. "I even ordered a book on magical birthmarks. But I doubt it'll give us any real answers."

"Who knows." Mandy shrugged. "But I don't mind saying that I'm freaked out. I don't feel safe at the Ministry. They're preparing to redo the wards because that Runcorn person had been the one who headed up the development of the other ones, and with him being a Death Eater… it's crazy. Everyone is freaking out. Ugh… it's too much. Can we talk about something else? I need to stop thinking about all of this."

"Yeah." Lisa agreed. "So… did you manage to talk to him yet?"

"NO!" Mandy shouted before she leaned forwards and banged her head on the table in frustration. "And it could be so perfect! I could get him to walk me home so he could keep me safe! What guy wouldn't want to play the hero?"

"You're pathetic." Lisa snickered.

* * *

In the town of Cokeworth sat a dark, miserable looking street near a foul looking river with identical brick houses in various states of disrepair, known as Spinner's End. The street was strewn with trash and there was an odor of urine that hung in the air.

In one of those houses, a man sat in a large cushioned chair that was in desperate need of repair. The only light came from the small fire that he sat in front of. The man was slumped in the chair, wearing dirty black robes over his thin frame. His skin was sallow and waxy and his eyes were as black as coal. His hair hung in a greasy curtain in front of his face and his right hand held a nearly empty bottle of firewhiskey.

Severus Snape was quite simply, waiting for death to find him.

He'd been hiding in his father's home ever since he'd been revealed as a traitor to the Dark Lord Voldemort. As it turned out, that had been the same night that Albus Dumbledore and Voldemort had had their epic duel which had ended with both men nearly dead. Popular theory was that Voldemort had died just as Albus Dumbledore had done going on two months ago. But Snape wasn't hiding from Voldemort. He was hiding from Voldemort's followers who likely blamed him for their master's death.

Not many of his fellow Death Eaters knew where Snape's father's house was, so Snape felt safer here than anywhere else. He'd placed protective wards around the house, but had not hidden it because in truth, Snape wanted to die. He'd been miserable his entire life, and he'd lost everything he'd ever cared for. He knew it was only a matter of time before Death Eaters found him, and when that day came, Snape swore he would kill as many of them as he could before death claimed him.

At least, most days he did.

Tonight however, he couldn't have cared less about anything. He was into his second bottle of whiskey, and already thinking about the next bottle. On nights like this it was everything he could do to numb the pain in his heart. He had contemplated ending it himself, but the truth was that he was a coward. As much as he was willing to embrace death, he was unwilling to take his own life.

And so he drank.

And drank.

And drank.

He drank until he passed out, but it always took so gad damned long. And while he drank and waited for the bliss of unconsciousness, he was forced to think and remember. And all he could think of, or remember was her. Those green eyes that always made him feel so unworthy of her friendship. The way her face lit up when she smiled. The way her hands felt when they had held his. The way she would stand up for him when others were making him feel inferior. The way she looked at him that last time they had ever spoken. The day their friendship had ended because he'd been a jealous clod!

Snape raised the bottle to his lips and frowned when he found it empty. In a fit of frustration, he threw the bottle into the fireplace where it shattered. He pulled himself out of his chair and stumbled into his filthy kitchen. He opened a cabinet and pulled the last bottle down, opened it and took a long swig. The liquid burned going down, but Snape barely noticed it now.

He glanced at the now empty cabinet and thought with disgust about how he would have to disguise himself to go replenish his stores. Leaving the house was always a risk, but he didn't much care. He was sure that when he woke up he might be a bit worried, but now, all he wanted was to finish this bottle and hopefully pass out.

He wobbled his way back into his sitting room and fell into the chair once again and took another swig from the bottle when he thought he heard something unusual. A glance to his left at the stairs told him that someone was there.

"Finally." Snape grumbled. "Took you sods long enough to find me."

And then something occurred to Snape through his drunken haze and he looked at the figure on the stairs. "How did you get past the wards?"

The figure stepped down and walked behind Snape. Snape heard whoever it was pick up things and then put them back down.

"You won't find anything valuable here. I sold everything years ago." Snape chortled.

The figure came around to Snape's right, just inside his peripheral.

"So how do you plan on doing it then? Poison? Killing curse?" Snape asked, taking another long drink.

"There is nothing I want more than to kill you."

Snape nearly dropped his bottle at the voice, or rather voices. He turned to look at the figure who stood over him. He was dressed in dragonhide from head to toe. His head was covered by a hood that hid his face as well.

"Who the hell are you?" Snape asked.

"I've thought about this moment for more years than I dare to count. I thought about the ways I could end your waste of a life for what you did." The voices continued.

"Do I know you?" Snape inquired, feeling the first tendrils of fear wrapping around his spine.

"But fortunately for you, you have information I need."

Snape sat up, and swayed slightly. The figure came around him and kicked the ottoman out from under Snape's feet and then sat in front of him. Snape strained but could not see a face beneath the hood.

"What do you want to know?" Snape asked, trying to sound carefree.

"Let's start with why." The figure replied. "Why did you betray the only person who you supposedly cared for? Why did you hand Lily Evans to Voldemort?"

Snape's heart nearly stopped. He felt the effects of his two and a half bottles of whiskey ebbing away and his anger began to rise.

"I didn't know it was her!" Snape snarled. "The prophecy spoke of a child, not a woman. And when I found out he was going after her, I did everything I could to protect her and her worthless waste of a husband!"

Snape's head snapped back as a fist connected with his face. Snape growled and went for his wand only to find it ripped out of his hand and snapped before his eyes.

"You did everything?" The figure asked, sounding enraged. "All you did was beg Dumbledore to protect them. Then you played spy, but did you warn anyone that he had found them? Did you tell anyone that it had been Pettigrew that betrayed the Potters? Did you follow him that night and try and help them escape? Don't tell me you did everything you could. You're sitting here, and Lily and James aren't, you piece of shit."

Snape felt the fist connect with his face again and shouted.

"If you're going to kill me just fucking do it already." Snape scowled holding his eye. "Fine, I didn't do all I could have, but I didn't know about Pettigrew. I found out afterwards. And I didn't know that the Dark Lord had gone after them until it was over. I have lived with this guilt for seventeen years. I hate myself for what I've done. She deserved better. She was the only thing I cared for and I am the reason she's dead."

The figure sat back and regarded him for a long moment. He turned and tossed Snape's broken wand into the fire and Snape sighed bitterly.

"You know there was a time that she cared for you." The figure said, the voices speaking in unison like an angelic choir. "She even fancied you. Thought that the two of you could have had something special. But then you changed. You let your rivalry with James Potter consume you, and you bought into the bullshit the wannabe Death Eaters were selling. You changed and became something she couldn't stand. She always hoped you could have changed back, but you didn't."

"How do you know this?" Snape asked, and then he cocked his head. "Oh you've got to be joking. Black? I should have known. Sirius Black returns to his homeland after seventeen years and now he's come to make me pay for what I did to his best friend. Fine, do it. Take your god damned revenge and be done with it already."

"I want the names of every Death Eater you know of, and I want to know where their homes are located. I want to know where Voldemort is."

Snape raised an eyebrow at this and eyed the figure with curiosity.

"The Dark Lord is dead. Haven't you heard, Black? Dumbledore ended him in the Ministry…" Snape started but the figure shook his head.

"If that were true, I would not be here." The figure replied quickly. "Now, names and places Snape. I want to know every one of his inner circle, I want to know every one that you know bears the mark. I want to know their children's names. I want to know where they work, where they might be hiding. Everything."

Snape shook his head and went to take another drink. The bottle was snatched out of his hand and thrown into the fireplace. The bottle shattered and the flames roared as they burned the alcohol. The figure was outlined in red and orange, and looked for the briefest second like Death himself. Snape glowered at the figure before him.

"And just what is it you think you'll be able to do?" Snape asked with disbelief. "If the Dark lord is alive as you claim, what could you possibly do, Black? If Dumbledore couldn't best him, what hope do you have?"

"Names Snape, or I'll start breaking teeth." The figure replied.

"Fine." Snape shrugged, sitting back in his chair. "If nothing else, I'll have the satisfaction of knowing the Dark Lord finished you before me."

Snape then began to tell the figure about every Death Eater he knew. It turned out he'd been a rather good spy and had a lot of information on those in the Inner Circle. He gave up their names, where their homes were located, the names of their children and the names of any of their relatives who also happened to be Death Eaters. He also told the figure about plans the Dark Lord had made but never carried out, and most importantly, that wherever Voldemort was, it was hidden by the fidelius and made unplottable. The only way to get there was if Voldemort called you using the Dark Mark. He then showed the figure the only way he'd found to severe the connection between the Dark Lord and the Dark Mark.

"Cut it off and then burned the wound." Snape said showing his ruined left forearm. "If even a speck of the tattoo remained, he would be able to find me anywhere. I burned the whole arm, all the way around. Just to be sure."

The figure made no indication that he was disgusted or happy or anything. All he did was rise to his feet and walk around Snape's chair again.

"I really want to see you dead, Severus Snape." The voices spoke, and Snape shivered because they no longer sounded angelic. "But I'm not going to be the one to kill you because I know that she would be ashamed of me if I did."

Snape turned in his seat to look at the figure. He noticed that the fists were balled, and he was struggling to not turn and throttle Snape.

"I imagined what you would look like. I thought you'd be some arrogant peacock or something, but now… I actually pity you. You have no idea how close you were to being with her. If you'd only been able to let go of your jealousy and your pathetic inferiority complex… it's possible that I might have called you father."

The word hit Snape like a rampaging dragon, and he choked. He fell out of his seat, and scrambled to his feet and found that he was alone again. Snape raced to the door which was still closed and locked. There was no sign that he'd had a visitor at all. Save for the fact that his wand and his last bottle of firewhiskey were gone.

It wasn't Black. It hadn't been Sirius Black who'd punched him and broken his wand. He should have known. Black would have killed him. Black would have laughed like a maniac as he crushed Snape's windpipe. Black had hated Snape from the first day they had met so many years ago.

The words continued to ring in his head. The figure had said that he might have called Snape father. Lily had cared for him, and if he'd only let go of his hatred he could have had everything his heart had desired. He might have been called father.

"It can't be." Snape whispered. "It just… it can't be. Albus… you fucking liar arse!"


	6. Chapter 6

6\. Nothing like a good old Damsel In Distress…

Sirius Black closed the door of his ancestral home and turned to look as Remus Lupin was looking around the entrance hall. He could tell that his old friend was impressed by the changes in 12 Grimmauld Place since his last visit.

"Kid's really cleaned up in here." Remus said as he looked approvingly at the now bare walls.

"Oh you wait… He did something I've been dreaming of forever." Sirius remarked as he lead his old school friend deeper into the house. At the base of the stairs Sirius stopped and pointed to the wall where a very large painting had once hung.

"How the bloody hell did he get it down?" Remus asked bug-eyed.

"He won't tell me." Sirius said proudly. "He will only say she screamed bloody murder as he did it, and that I would have pissed myself laughing to watch it."

"Now I'm really curious." Remus said, as he watched Sirius begin to climb the stairs. Remus followed him up to the second floor and the two entered a large study which was completely empty of furniture. The walls were covered with news articles and pictures along with pieces of parchment which contained names. Each and every scrap had a red pin in it, which was attached to a red string that was then linked to other pins all around the room and all of them eventually pointing to a single blank piece of parchment in the center of one wall.

In the middle of the room stood a young man of eighteen with messy black hair. His body was lean, with corded , wiry muscles. As he turned, Remus was taken aback as he saw the young man's face. It was nearly identical to a man he had known many years ago. Except for the eyes. Bright emerald green eyes that had once belonged to a stunningly beautiful woman with fiery red hair.

The young man embraced Sirius warmly, and Remus's old friend slapped the young man on the back, letting out a small chuckle of relief.

"I take last night was fruitful then?" Sirius asked as he stepped back.

"Moody was more than happy to help." the young man said in a soft voice. "He said the Dumbledore had warned him that someone would be coming to finish what he couldn't. I think if I asked, That old man would come running, wand blazing. Though I think he might be a little upset with me."

"Why's that?" Sirius asked with puzzlement.

"Well you were right about him being paranoid." The young man explained as he bent and picked up another photograph which he then hung on the wall, and proceeded to attach a pin with red line on it which he then pinned to another photo. "He took offense to me waiting there for him and he sort of destroyed his sitting room trying to hex me. But in his defense… if he hadn't been drinking he might have hit me."

"Possibly." Sirius smirked. "Alastor Moody was one of the finest Aurors Great Britain has ever produced, but let's be honest Harry… if Master Shuketti couldn't hit you, there's no way on earth Moody would be able to.

"What about your other visit?" Remus asked looking apprehensive.

Harry Potter looked at the werewolf and his smile fell.

"Snape's still alive." He confessed and both Sirius and Remus let out a breath.

"I'm proud of you Harry." Sirius said, and clapped Harry on the shoulder. "I can't imagine that it was easy."

"I was ready to do it." Harry said. "Ready to make him pay for his part in it all. But I couldn't. He looked so pathetic. So broken. And I knew it in my heart that neither of them would have wanted me to do it."

"You were right." Remus agreed. "Even at the height of their rivalry, your father never would have hurt Snape badly, much less tried to kill him. James never hated Snape, though Snape definitely loathed you father."

"I hated him, but I never would have killed him, though I'd bet he believes I would." Sirius remarked. "So what's all this then?"

"It might have to do with that little joke you played on him that very nearly ended up killing him." Remus pointed out and Sirius sighed and looked humiliated.

"I was young and stupid." Sirius said. "I should have been arrested and chucked into Azkaban for that stupid prank."

"Let it go." Remus said, patting Sirius on the shoulder.

"This is everything Moody gave me, and some things I picked up at the Daily Prophet this morning." Harry said, changing the subject.

Both Remus and Sirius turned to stare wide eyed at Harry who shook his head.

"I didn't see the rat." He said. "And I wasn't there for him anyway. Though if I had seen him…"

Remus cleared his throat and Harry shrugged.

"Anyway, no I went there because I needed more information. So I asked for copies of the paper, especially for anything that had articles on the wars. The lady was only too happy to help me." Harry explained.

"Channeling you inner detective." Sirius smiled and clapped his godson on the back.

"Harry, what's with the blank bit there?" Remus asked. Harry turned and glowered at the blank bit of parchment that was the nexus of everything in the room.

"I don't know what Voldemort looks like, so…" Harry gestured to the parchment and Remus gave a look of understanding.

"Well you've got a direction now, and that's good. You'll spend less time skulking around hoping to nail one of these bastards." Sirius smiled again. "And that means you'll have a bit of time for something else."

Harry turned sharply, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Don't look at me like that." Sirius said pointing at Harry. "If you'd just been a bit more flexible and given Annalise what she wanted in the first place, I wouldn't be here and you wouldn't be forced to have to go."

"Go where exactly?" Harry said through gritted teeth.

"The Ministry is having a Charity Ball the night before Halloween." Remus explained, taking Harry's attention off of Sirius. "Annalise volunteered to help organize it, and as such she and Sirius will have to attend. I will be attending as Sirius's assistant, and…"

"I will be here or out looking for Death Eaters." Harry said with false hope.

"You will be there dressed in the finest dress robes and you will be engaging young women in conversation and dance." Sirius said, dashing all of Harry's enthusiasm. "I told you, if you'd just agreed to acting like a normal young man, she would have left it alone."

"I can't." Harry said, rubbing his hand through his hair. "This crusade really doesn't lend itself to dating and parties and all of that. I can't wage war of Voldemort and play the young playboy."

"Batman did it." Sirius pointed out. Remus gave Sirius a questioning look and Sirius shrugged.

"One of the influences for all this."

Remus made on "oh" of understanding. Sirius had explained all about how Harry had come to this and it seemed it was based on comics Sirius had procured for Harry in America while Harry had suffered through Dragonpox.

"Look kid, I know why you want to do things your way, and honestly, I agree. It's better your way. No lies, no risk of someone you care about getting hurt. But it's lonely, and I'm afraid that isolating yourself in order to finish this will end up hurting you." Sirius started. Harry made to protest but Sirius held up his hands to stop him.

"I know what you're going to say and again, I understand it. I do." Sirius continued. "But Harry It isn't healthy to be alone as much as you are. Look at Snape. Now I know you're not him… but if you continue to isolate yourself, you will end up in a similar situation. If you forget how to connect with people, you will end up losing yourself. So I'm asking you, go to the ball. Dance with a few pretty girls, eat some food, drink some cheap champagne and make my wife happy."

Harry looked defeated for a moment and then turned to his godfather, arching an eyebrow.

"I'm supposed to be dead, remember?" Harry questioned. "And you've always told me how much I look like my father. I'm sure there are going to be people who remember him. Won't they question it if his doppelganger shows up at this thing? And who am I supposed to be? Your son? The math doesn't quite work on that. You didn't have a kid when you left England Sirius. Someone is likely going to ask about that."

"Will you relax?" Sirius smiled, taking Harry around the shoulders and guiding him out of the study and downstairs. "Annalise is very clever, and she's waiting to explain it all to you over dinner."

"Oh shit." Harry grimaced.

* * *

Harry stood in front of the mirror tugging at his collar and wondering for the umpteenth time how he had been unable to get out of this. It had been two and a half weeks since that very long and extremely difficult conversation in which Harry tried desperately to escape his fate. He considered himself to be quite clever and inventive, and yet here he was in black dress robes and a very uncomfortable tie that made him feel as if he was being strangled. How in the seven hells did this happen?

Annalise. She was the sole reason.

Sirius had been right. Annalise had thought of everything, and had an answer for every one of Harry's protests. Every time Harry poked a whole in Annalise's narrative, she plugged it up, and good.

Harry really couldn't be mad at her. She believed in his mission, and supported him whole heartedly, there was no questioning it. However, She simply worried about him, like a real mother. She didn't want to see him hurt, and she hoped that he could find the same happiness she had with Sirius.

Harry sighed again. He could do this for her. She never asked anything of him really. She loved him and he cared about her in return. He could give up one night to make her happy even if he knew he would hate the whole thing. It also had the benefit of getting her off his back, if only for a little while. So, he'd go. He'd drink and eat. He'd find a pretty girl or two to dance with, and make damned sure Annalise saw him with those girls. And then, he could get back to the mission.

The thing that had Harry worried about the most was for the public to learn that Harry Potter was in fact alive. His plan really worked better with that tidbit of information remaining a secret for as long as possible. Eventually it was going to get out, but the longer he remained "dead", the more freely he could move and do what he needed to do. It was one of the lessons he'd learned from his comic idols. Keeping his identity secret was paramount.

But Annalise had already thought of it, and had a very elaborate and detailed story for Harry. Tonight, he would be James Evans. James was Sirius's liaison with companies in France, Spain, Finland and Sweden. The story was that Harry was home schooled in magic and had found his way into the job thanks to his father. He had met Sirius while Sirius had been in Sweden around the time Sirius and Annalise met. He was just visiting with his father but had impressed Sirius and when Harry, or rather James, had finished school, Sirius had hired him. There was much more to the story, all of which Annalise had written out for Harry to memorize in case he got into a long conversation with any pretty girls.

Annalise and Sirius had taken to calling him James in the last week so they'd be used to it and it wouldn't sound odd during the party. It had also helped Harry get used to responding to it.

Harry turned at the knock on his door, and walked over to open it. Annalise stood there looking quite stunning in her fire engine red dress. Her hair was done up elegantly, and her face was made up beautifully. She was practically glowing when she smiled at him, and reached up to straighten his tie, which made him frown.

"Oh stop it now." She said sourly, though her smile ruined the affect. "You're going to have a good time."

"I don't see how." Harry reply bitterly.

"That's because you haven't seen any of the young ladies yet." Annalise countered.

"Oh yes, of course." Harry shook his head slowly. "How stupid of me."

"Now stop it." Annalise frowned. "I know that you'd rather be out somewhere in your suit brooding in the dark, while monologuing internally. But that's no way to live Harry. I know you're sick of hearing it, but I just want to see you happy. I loved the way you used to smile like when we were in Russia. You know, when you were with Sasha. Or how you lit up anytime someone even mentioned Priya while we were in India, or…"

"Ok, I get it." Harry groaned. "But now isn't the time for that. And I've already explained that to you. If I were to find someone and start building something with them, it wouldn't be real. I'd be lying to them to protect them. And worse, they'd be in danger. I thought you understood all this."

"Just because she understands it, doesn't mean she likes it Harry." Sirius said, entering the room, looking quite dashing in his formal robes. "Just suck it up for tonight and remember that she promised to back off for a while."

"You're supposed to be backing me up, sweet husband." Annalise glared.

"And I did." Sirius smiled charmingly. "I got the kid to agree to go tonight. And I even got him to wear something other than his body armor. Which reminds me, you aren't wearing it under your robes, are you?"

Harry shook his head, looking offended that Sirius even asked. Sirius smirked as he nodded with approval.

"Are you both ready?"

"I thought Remus was coming with us?" Harry looked puzzled.

"He's meeting us there." Sirius said as he turned and led them all to the door where he took Annalise's coat and held it for her to slip into. "Convincing him was almost as difficult as convincing you to come."

"Are you surprised?" Harry sniggered. "With all the laws against werewolves, it's a wonder he agreed at all."

"He has no choice as he's my new assistant." Sirius smile broadened. "The Ministry has a lot of laws keeping werewolves out of important positions, but nothing says I can't hire my own personal assistant. His only request was that I don't make him get my laundry or fetch me tea."

"You better not take advantage of your poor friend, or I'll have something to say about it." Annalise warned. Sirius merely smiled and kissed his beautiful young wife.

"I would never take advantage of my friend. I'm trying to help him and others like him. We all are." Sirius said, glancing at Harry and then back to Anna. "Now, let's go before all the good hors d'oeuvers are gone."

The event was being held inside an old abandoned factory in the former industrial area of London. There were a lot of old abandoned warehouses and factories and very little light. From the outside it looked as though the building might collapse at any moment, but inside, it looked like something out of a storybook.

After gaining admittance, Harry, Sirius and Annalise descended a grand staircase onto the main floor where roughly a hundred round tables sat. Each table had a beautiful centerpiece of flowers and fairies and a card holder which had a number.

At the opposite end of the hall from the staircase was a raised stage in front of an area that had been cleared to allow for dancing. A small orchestra sat on the stage tuning up while two wizards fussed over a podium. Along the left hand side of the room was a rather extravagant buffet. The food was filling the room with an intoxicating aroma, and Harry couldn't stop his mouth from watering.

Harry followed Sirius and Anna to one of the tables where Remus Lupin, looking much healthier and cleaner than even a few days ago, stood and greeted them.

"Glad to see you didn't try and back out." Sirius grinned.

"Well, I'm being paid to be here, so I thought it best to show up." Remus replied, glancing around. "I'm glad you're here, I'm tired of getting the stink eye from some of these people."

"I don't see how my presence will lessen the amount of stink eye you get." Sirius remarked.

"It won't, but at least I won't be so focused on it because I can talk to you lot." Remus replied. "Anna, you look radiant."

"Thank you Remus." Anna smiled, greeting him with a hug and a kiss on his cheek. "You look quite dashing. I see my gift didn't go wasted."

"I could hardly turn down tailor made robes. Thank you." Remus said, though Harry noted how embarrassed he sounded.

"James, good to see you." Remus said, using Harry's fake name.

"Good to see you too." Harry replied.

"Ah, Sirius Black."

Harry turned and saw a man with a rather rotund belly and bright twinkling eyes.

"I haven't seen you in ages." He said, reaching out to grip Sirius's hand.

"Elphias Doge, a pleasure to see you, sir." Sirius said with a charming smile. "May I introduce my wife, Annalise Black."

"A pleasure sir." Anna smiled, taking Elphias' hand.

"The pleasure is all mine, I assure you my dear." Elphias smiled, as he kissed Anna's hand. "Remus Lupin, it's good to see you as well. It's been too long I dare say since I've seen both of you. It is too bad neither of you could make it to the ceremony."

"I had only just arrived back in the country, and didn't know about his passing." Sirius claimed. "Our world will surely miss him."

"Indeed it will, and who is this fine strapping young lad?" Elphias said turning to regard Harry, who stiffened ever so slightly.

"Elphias, this is James Evans. He oversees my interests on the continent." Sirius smiled, clapping Harry on the shoulder.

"Indeed." Elphias looked surprised. "James, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Sirius, Remus and I go back quite a few years. I could tell you some stories young man. If you ever need blackmail material in order to get a pay raise, you come find me, deal?"

"I appreciate it sir." Harry smiled. "But Mister Black has been quite generous to me."

"Elphias, how are things in your office these days?" Sirius asked, motioning for Elphias to sit at their table.

"Oh ho, I'm retired now." Elphias waved off Sirius's question. "They still love having me at these things though, probably because I give so much. If I didn't show up, they'd likely be forced to beg in the streets."

The adults laughed, but Harry just stared. He figured that Elphias was quite rich, and selfless, he just didn't think the joke was all that funny. Elphias went on about his retirement for a bit, and shared some stories with Sirius about some of the other members of the Wizengamot. Remus and Sirius laughed when it was appropriate, and asked a few questions about a few things that interested them. Harry listened carefully to everything because he didn't know if there might be something important or useful. In the end though, Harry found Elphias interesting but overall not very useful to him and his mission.

"Well, I best be off. Don't want to horde all your time, and I daresay there's likely quite a few folks who want to glad hand you tonight." Elphias grinned and shook everyone's hands again before waddling away with a giant grin on his face.

"How do you know him?" Anna asked as they all sat down finally.

"Elphias is one of Dumbledore's oldest friends." Remus began.

"We met him when we joined the Order of the Phoenix during the first war." Sirius continued. He used to head up the Department for the Creation and Control of Charms and Spells. Then they merged that department with the Department of Mysteries, and shoved him into a less than honorable job, but he never complained. Elphias is a good man."

"Who took over as the head of that department?" Harry asked. "The one that got merged?"

Sirius shrugged. "Who knows?"

"The Department of Mysteries is just that, a mystery." Remus explained. "The people who work there are called unspeakables, and they're not allowed to divulge their position, or anything about what they do." Remus explained.

Before Harry could inquire further, several more people came over and greeted them all. Elphias hadn't been kidding when he warned of others glad handing. Nearly everyone who came by had something they wanted to speak to Sirius about. Some of them spoke openly while others tried to set up times when they could speak when no one might eavesdrop.

Remus was kind enough to keep Harry up to speed on just who everyone was, and what they appeared to be about.

There was Morty Finewood who worked in the Department of Magical Transportation, who really wanted to get a bill passed that would lift the ban on certain modes of magical transport.

"He's got a cousin who deals in flying carpets, and he's likely going to get a piece of the action if carpets are ever sold in England." Remus whispered.

There was Kennelly Winterbaum, and Henryk Gore both of whom spoke to Sirius about helping to revitalize the unicorn population in Britain.

"Unicorn horns and blood are very strictly regulated." Remus explained. "Both of them own stock in some pretty big potion ingredient supply companies. Being able to get more horn and blood would really boost their profits."

They were all like that. Everyone that came seemed to have some sort of agenda that they felt Sirius could help them with. Until, that is, Dolores Umbridge came by to speak to the newly returned Lord Black.

She was a short, fat woman with a wide mouth, and tight curled, steel gray hair. She looked like a dried out toad in a pink dress. She spoke in a high pitched, overly girly voice, as if she was trying to convince people she was in fact female. She was overly polite when she talked, but nearly everything she said seemed laced with insult somehow. She also glared at Remus nearly the whole time she was speaking with Sirius.

"Madam Umbridge headed up an initiative to ban people such as myself from getting decent paying jobs. She's quite good at twisting facts and using misdirection to sow fear. She's quite the bigot, and very unpleasant as you saw." Remus said after Umbridge had left them alone.

"Not to mention having a horrible taste in clothing. A cardigan over a gown? Disgraceful." Annalise said with a wrinkled nose.

It wasn't long before the Minster of Magic, Pius Thicknese stood behind the podium. He was a tall, slim man with finely quaffed gray hair, and a jutting chin. He had deep set eyes that looked as if he was only half awake as he spoke.

As the Minister droned on, Harry took the opportunity to scan the crowd. He really wanted to identify more Death Eaters, and knew that there'd likely be a few in attendance tonight. The Ministry hadn't purged them all, especially as many of them weren't Ministry employees, and hadn't been caught with the wards the Ministry had erected a few years back.

Harry occasionally asked Remus about one or two faces, and filing the information he got for later.

He also happened to notice more than a handful of attractive young witches near his age, or so he guessed. He knew Anna would be pleased to hear he had noticed them, and even more thrilled if he were seen talking to some, or even better, taking a spin on the dance floor with a few. Harry made a note of some of the faces, and planned to ask them for a dance later in the evening.

Once the minister finished speaking, the orchestra began playing and people began moving towards the food, or the dance floor. Harry smiled to himself as he watched his godfather take his wife by the hand and lead her to the middle of the floor where they could be easily seen by everyone. Sirius never passed up a chance to show off, and he was quite a good dancer. Anna just loved to dance, so she was grinning like a fool with her husband twirling her about.

"I see that hasn't changed." Remus snickered. "Always the ladies man."

"He did go through a lot of them while we traveled, but when he met Anna, he changed. it was almost overnight as well. They just connected on a level he'd either avoided, or ignored, but she got through all his defenses. When they met, she was it for him." Harry smiled approvingly at his godfather and the woman who was the love of Sirius's life.

"Why don't you go get yourself some food." Remus smiled patting Harry's shoulder. "The faster you can be seen talking to some girls, the quicker you'll get her off your back."

Harry nodded and rose. "Do you want anything?"

"I'll get myself something later." Remus said. Harry looked like he wanted to argue, but Remus waved him off. Harry deciding it was better to let the matter drop, turned and headed for the food, keeping his eyes open for some of the young women he'd seen earlier.

Harry took a place behind a rather fat man who was piling so much food on his plate Harry thought it might snap under the weight. The man kept making excited little noises as he selected items, and the longer Harry was behind him, the smaller his appetite got.

Finally the man rushed off to enjoy his meal, though he'd only gotten halfway through the line. Harry knew it was because there was no room left on his dish, and he needed both hands to carry the delicious treasure. Harry watched him for a moment before turning back, and looking for something for himself.

He began reaching for something that looked interesting, but someone reached out and stopped him.

"I wouldn't" A sweet feminine voice said. Harry turned and found himself staring into two deep brown pools. She was quite slim and wearing a simple dress of light pink.. Her hair was pulled back into a lovely French braid.

"Dragonballs." She smiled. "They give you really horrible breath, I'm sure your date would not appreciate it."

"Oh, I'm not with anyone." Harry said, "But I also don't fancy fiery halitosis either, so thanks for the warning."

"Try this instead." The girl said, placing two deep fried cakes onto his plate before drizzling some kind of yellow sauce over them. "Very delicious, and no bad breath afterwards."

"Anything else you recommend?" Harry asked.

"Don't overdo it with the wine or ale, and steer clear of the black pudding. It's always terrible." She smiled.

"I'll take it under advisement." Harry nodded. Thank you again, Miss…"

"Granger." The girl said offering her slim and delicate looking hand. Harry raised it to his lips and kissed her knuckle. "H-Hermione Granger." She stammered with a look of stunned disbelief on her face.

"James Evans." he said.

"It's nice to meet you James." Hermione smiled politely. "Which department do you work in?"

"None actually. I work for Sirius Black. I oversee all of his interests in France, Spain and a couple other countries. I happened to be in the country this week, and he asked me to come to this."

"Really?" Hermione's eyes brightened. "That must be really interesting. I must admit that I'm a bit fascinated by him. A lot of people are to be honest. So you travel around and make sure his businesses are running smoothly then? "

"Pretty much. I can tell you a little bit, if you'd like." Harry offered. Hermione's smile could have lit up the whole ballroom.

"I would love that. Would you care to join us?" Hermione asked, pointing to a table behind Harry. He nodded and followed Hermione to a table were several people were sitting, conversing together.

"Everyone, This is …James was it?" Hermione looked a little embarrassed. Harry nodded.

"James Evans." Harry said.

"Yes, so sorry…" Hermione smiled as she set her plate down. "James, this is Angelina Johnson and her boyfriend Wendell Jacobson. Tracey Davis and Theodore Nott, and this is Roger Davies. Everyone, this is James Evans."

"A pleasure to meet you all." Harry said as he took a seat next to Hermione.

"James works for Sirius Black on the continent." Hermione said as she reached for her glass of wine.

"Really?" Tracey asked, leaning forward a bit. "How did you land that job?"

Harry then launched into the explanation that Annalise had come up with him, adding only a few small insignificant details to give the story some flare. His small audience hung on every word, and Harry snickered internally at his acting prowess. When he wrapped up the story he thought it would be a good idea to show interest in his new friends and asked how it was they all knew each other.

"Most of us met in Hogwarts." Roger Davies said, looking at Harry suspiciously.

"Angelina and I were in the same house at school." Hermione smiled. "Roger was in Ravenclaw, and Tracey was in Slytherin. Tracey and I work in the Hall of Records."

"We do filing." Tracey said looking bored. "It's really boring, but it's given us a lot of time to get to know each other. She's good people."

A few of the others chuckled and Hermione's cheeks pinkened a bit.

"It's too bad we let house rivalries prevent us from talking sooner." Hermione said and Tracey nodded her agreement.

"Can I ask about Sirius Black?" Angelina said, raising her glass to her mouth. "What kind of business is he into? I mean, no one knows anything about him, and I just wonder if he's like… smuggling illegal items into the country?"

"Why would you ask that?" Harry asked with and arched eyebrow.

"Angelina believes that Black was in league with you-Know-Who." Wendell said with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh come on!" Angelina nearly shouted as she turned to look at Wendell. "Everyone knows he was the Potter's secret keeper. Everyone also knows that You-Know-Who went to Godric's Hollow and killed Black's so-called best friends, and that Black disappeared that night. He's been gone nearly eighteen years."

"But you forget that Black stayed away after you-Know-Who came back to power!" Wendell argued. Why would he stay away after his so-called master returned?"

"I don't know." Angelina huffed. "Why don't you go ask him?"

"I could introduce you if you'd like." Harry said. Everyone looked at him with surprise and then Harry began to smile. All at once the tension melted and Harry began to laugh along with the others. The band then began playing a softer song and Harry turned to Hermione.

"Would you care to dance?" He asked. Hermione blushed and turned to Roger who looked nonplussed. Hermione sighed and turned back to Harry and smiled. She accepted his proffered hand and Harry guided her out to the dance floor. The young man made sure he could be seen by Annalise, who was smiling broadly, and Harry was pretty sure she was trying to get Sirius's attention, but he was busy talking to someone Harry didn't know.

"Sorry about them." Hermione said as she slipped her hand onto Harry's shoulder as he clasped her other hand in his and his free hand settled on her hip. "But Angelina's opinion isn't unique. A lot of people believe Sirius Black was in league with You-Know-Who."

"Who?" Harry asked with a inquisitive look.

Hermione glanced around and leaned in a bit as she whispered. "V-Voldemort."

"Why don't you say his name?" Harry asked.

"Where were you raised?" Hermione asked now, looking surprised. "No one says his name. They're too afraid of it. And that's another thing. You've got to be around my age, where did you go to school? You weren't at Hogwarts."

"No I didn't go to Hogwarts." Harry smiled. "I was taught at home by my mother. And she and my father weren't afraid to say the name. In fact my dad used to tell me that being afraid of a name only increases the fear of the thing itself. It's stupid."

Hermione smiled at this and nodded her agreement. "Very wise."

They continued to dance until the song changed, and Harry guided Hermione back to the table. They sat down and Hermione asked where Roger had gotten off too. Tracey said something about Roger spotting someone he knew and wanted to go talk to.

"Pardon me for asking, but where'd you get that wicked scar on your forehead." Wendell asked, pointing to the lightning bolt shaped scar.

"Don't be rude." Angelina admonished, and Wendell apologized.

"No it's alright." Harry said waving it off. "I've had it as long as I can remember, but I have no idea where it came from. I just fell when I was a kid. I don't remember it, and all my folks ever told me was that I took a bad fall. No big deal really."

"I apologize for them all, James." Hermione smiled gently. "But they are a curious lot."

"It's alright." Harry smiled. "It's kind of nice to talk to proper English folks for once. I got to tell you some of the French people I deal with are so arrogant."

"How much time do you spend in France?" Tracey asked. Harry noted that Theodore Nott, Tracey's date looked at him rather coldly, but Harry ignored it, and went on to tell the group what his "job" entailed. They asked many questions, but Harry had answers ready for pretty much everything. He wasn't going to admit it to Annalise, but he was actually enjoying himself. If he hadn't been so intent on fulfilling his mission, he might actually ask out Tracey or Hermione.

But he was not going to tell that to Annalise.

Ever.

* * *

A couple of hours passed, and Harry had just left the loo and began heading back to the ballroom. He reflected over the course of the evening, having met a few more of Hermione Granger's acquaintances. Lavender Brown stopped by, a buxom witch who had shared a dorm with Hermione while at Hogwarts, and was now working on becoming a writer for Teen Witch Weekly. She had flirted with Harry and they had dance three times. She was nice, but a little too forward for Harry's liking. Harry had also met Cormac McClaggen, Marcus Bletchley and Cho Chang. Harry had danced with Angelina and a girl named Margo Thestiall who Angelina knew from work.

Overall it had been a pretty decent night, though he'd still rather be out hunting down Death Eaters.

As Harry was heading back to the table with his new friends, he overheard a conversation that made him stop and slip into the shadows. Four men were talking in low voices in an alcove, and between their choice of meeting place and their tone, he immediately became suspicious.

"… be foolish to try and take both of them tonight." Said one of the men.

"But if we did, the master would reward us. And after the last one was botched, he needs more of them, and we have two here!" The second said.

"Unconfirmed." Came a third voice. "We need to be sure. If they don't have the mark…"

"I told you lot that Tracey has the mark. I've seen it myself." The fourth one said in a irritated whisper.

"But that isn't the one that he's being guided to." Said the second man.

"It's too risky to take them both. And the Dark Lord's orders were specific." Came the third voice. "We take only one, but we need to decide which one. We have to do it quickly because the Ball's going to be over soon, and we need to get ready."

"Granger." Said the first voice, and Harry thought he sounded far too excited. "We take Granger."

"You just want to take her because of how she humiliated you for seven years at Hogwarts Draco." Said voice number four.

"So what of it?" The voice now identified as Draco snarled. "If she's marked then she can fulfill her destiny, and if not, I can finally make that smug little bitch pay. Davis we can get easily. Hell, she might even invite us in for tea. We're all old friends after all."

"Draco's right." Voice number three said. "Taking Davis is child's play thanks to you. Granger will be more difficult, and it would be better if we got some help. She's going to put up a fight, and the Dark Lord wants them unharmed. We'll have to strike fast and hard, and not let her get her wand. Let the others know, and make sure you all have your anti apparition runes activated. We can't let the bitch get away."

Harry quickly moved away when he realized that the conversation was over and made his way back to the table he shared with his new friends as casually as he could.

"Hey James, did you happen to see Theo anywhere?" Tracey asked when she saw him.

"I'm afraid not. And I must apologize, but I'm afraid I won't be able to share that dance. I do need to dash." Harry said feigning disappointment. "I want to thank you all so much, and I hope that I can see you all again."

"I'd like that." Wendell smiled and nodded. He reached into his inside pocket and pulled out a card which he handed to Harry. "Send me an owl next time you're in the country, and we'll go watch this lovely lady play quidditch sometime."

"I'd enjoy that." Harry smiled genuinely.

"If you get round to the Ministry you could come by and have lunch with Tracey and I." Hermione smiled.

"I would really enjoy that as well." Harry smiled, and Hermione blushed a bit. Harry shook hands all around and them quickly turned to see if he could find Sirius, Remus or Annalise to let them know what was happening. There was no sign of them immediately, and Harry didn't have time to search for them. With no other choice, Harry left the Ball and made his way outside, where he shed his robes, and rolled up his sleeves to reveal his bracers. He wished he'd been able to wear the rest of his armor under his robes, but it would have been even more uncomfortable than he'd been all night. He also didn't have any of his weapons. Harry grimaced as he knew this wasn't going to be a walk in the park.

The young wizard slipped his wand out of the holster on his left bracer and quickly transfigured his clothes into a close approximation of his normal armor. He then reached down and transfigured his robes into the hood he normally wore before adding several enchantments on it and then slipping it over his head. It wasn't perfect, but it would do for now.

When he was satisfied with it all, he made his way to the roof of the run down old mill, and waitedfor Hermione Granger and her date to exit the building.

The ballroom had no floos, so the guests could only leave once they were outside of the wards. Harry wondered if the Death Eaters were in place already. He thought of using a revealing spell, but knew there were too many people nearby and it wouldn't tell him which were marked and which weren't.

Harry didn't have to wait long before people started to really leave in earnest. He'd seen couples and groups leave, but not in such a steady herd as what came out when the ball officially ended.

The young hero caught sight of Hermione and Roger saying goodnight to their friends, and a few people he hadn't met during the evening before walking away on their own. He quickly dashed down from the roof, sticking to shadows, and avoiding running into anyone else leaving the ball, all while trying to remain as close to Hermione and Roger as he could. It wasn't as easy to do as when he was in London with so many roofs to dash across.

He watched as the couple tried to apparate and could tell by their body language that they were confused why they couldn't leave. He knew right away what was wrong, but he couldn't do anything lest he give himself away. He didn't want to see Hermione hurt, as she'd been very nice to him all night. And she was rather pretty…

"Focus." Harry told himself shutting out everything but what was happening. Hermione granger's life may depend on him.

"I don't remember having to walk this far to get in." Hermione noted. "I swear this is where we apparated to get here."

"Well, we have been drinking, it might have been further. Let's just walk a bit and try again." Roger suggested. Hermione smiled and took Roger's hand, humming lightly and making Roger smile. They began talking about some of the people who'd been in attendance.

Harry continued to follow, keeping his eyes open for the Death Eaters. He knew there had to be at least five of them, working together to keep the ward around Hermione and her date that prevented them from apparating. Unless they'd taken the time to carve runes into the surrounding buildings and were somehow herding the girl and her date to a specific point. He felt it was more likely that the Death Eaters were using rune marked pendants that remained active so long as the Death Eaters were close, and fully surrounding their target. Which meant, there were at least one to two behind them. If he could find and take out those two, Hermione and her date would be able to escape.

"Ok, this is getting ridiculous." The pretty young witch said, after the fourth time she and Roger had tried to apparate. "We didn't drink that much, and I know we didn't walk this far to the party."

"Well here." Roger said, as he bent down to pick up a hunk of wood from a nearby rubbish pile. "We'll make a portkey."

"We would prefer that you didn't."

Hermione and Roger turned as someone in black robes and a bone white mask emerged from the shadows brandishing a wand. The couple were both hit from behind before they could even raise their wands. Hermione was knocked to the ground and then another Death Eater was trying to hold her down.

She rolled over just in time to see a bright light envelope Roger.

"NO!" she screamed, as she was violently flipped on her side. She began to kick and punch as two sets of hands fought to contain her. Hermione swept her legs and knocked one of the robed men down. The desperate witch rolled onto her knees and twisted her wrist, slipping out of the Death Eaters grip. She pushed hard and knocked him onto his butt. She lunged forward and snapped up her wand and fired off a serious of spells.

During her years at Hogwarts, Hermione Granger had been known for her vast spell knowledge. She had spent hours every day in the library discovering spells that even Albus Dumbledore didn't know. Or at least that had been what he had told her once.

She was also quite quick thinking, and with three waves of her wand, two of the Death Eaters were in desperate need of healers.

However, there was still four more, and though she was confident in her abilities, she was pretty certain she wasn't going to be able to defeat them all.

"Come now Granger." Came a voice to her left. "There's no need to make this harder than it needs to be. Though, I kind of hope you do make it more difficult. Please."

Hermione snarled and struck at the robed person in front of her, while spinning and stepping back to avoid attacks from her left and right. She lashed out twice more, but missed, and very nearly got hit by an electric blue spell when she stumbled on some rubbish.

And then someone else joined the fight. Two Death Eaters were struck from behind and fell into heaps on the ground. Hermione only glanced at the new comer as she conjured a shield to protect her from another volley of spells from the Death Eater on her left. She heard the other Death Eater fighting with the newcomer but kept her focus on the only other remaining assailant.

Hermione sent a flurry of spells including a tripping jinx, several bludgeoners, a bone splintering hex, and a joint locking jinx. The Death Eater avoided most, except the last Bludgeoning hex which hit him right in the face, knocking him flat on his back.

Hermione sighed and then shrieked when a body fell in front of her feet. What used to be it's head looked as if it had been pummeled into mush. Hermione fought to keep her dinner down as someone in dragonhide armor stepped forward.

"Who are you?" Hermione asked, raising her wand and leveling it at the mysterious figure's chest.

"I'm not here to hurt you." Came a strange, double voice. The hooded figure shook his head slightly as if he were disappointed by something. "I overheard them planning to kidnap you."

"So, you're not with them?" Hermione asked.

"I thought that was obvious by the fact that I fired at them and not you." Said the hooded man. "However now I'm not so sure my help was needed at all."

"Roger!" Hermione shouted, turning on her heel and running over to where Roger lay. The black hooded man followed her. Hermione knelt and turned Roger over and checked his pulse and let out a relieved sigh.

"He's alive." She said. "Renerv…"

"I wouldn't do that." The hooded man said holding up his hand. "You don't know what he was hit with. Best to wait until the Aurors get here. By the way you should call them."

Hermione raised her wand and shot a bright white flare into the sky. She turned to look at the hooded man who was kneeling to bind the Death Eaters and collect their wands.

"Do you know this man?" He said, holding up the closest Death Eater. It was the one Hermione had fought last. Her bludgeoner had broken his mask and Hermione was taken aback when she recognized him.

"Draco Malfoy?" Hermione gasped.

"Malfoy?" came the strange dual voiced reply. "Interesting. Very interesting."

The man handed the wands to Hermione and turned to go.

"Hey wait!" Hermione snapped, getting to her feet. "Where are you going? The Aurors are going to want to ask you about all this, and I have questions too!"

"It's better if I leave. The Aurors will have too many questions that I'm not willing to answer at the moment." The hooded man said.

"How did you know they were coming after me?" Hermione asked. "And why were they after me?"

"Well that is the question." The hooded man said, turning to Hermione. He noticed how she tried as subtly as she could to peer into the hood to identify him. He smiled to himself thanking the stars he'd at least gotten that part of his charm work right.

"What do you mean by that?" Hermione asked.

"From what I overheard, they were under the impression that your were marked somehow. This mark seemed quite important to them." The hooded man said. "You wouldn't have happened to notice some new mark on your body somewhere?"

Hermione turned away from him, and Harry saw her hand go to a spot on her left side. She took two steps away from him and he watched her. He flashed back to the first night in London and the Death Eater who'd attacked the first girl he'd saved and how that Death Eater had been intent on the girl's left side.

"There's something there, isn't there? He said stepping forward.

Hermione turned around. "It showed up almost four months ago now. I thought it was a reaction to a new soap or something."

She looked really worried and Harry found himself wanting to ask more. But the distinctive pops of apparating Aurors prevented him from doing so.

"Damn." He said irritatedly. "My apologies Ms. Granger, but it's better if they don't find me here."

Harry then turned, and disappeared leaving Hermione standing there feeling like a fool. A fool with a thousand questions running through her mind. Questions that unfortunately would have to wait because the Aurors were approaching and she was going to have to explain what had happened to them first.


	7. Chapter 7

7\. You promised me one night without heroics

It as well past two in the morning when Tracey Davis was ripped out of her dream world by someone who clearly wished for her to get out of bed and answer her front door.

Tracey swore fiercely as she threw her blankets off, hissing at the cold that assaulted her bare legs. She slid her legs over the side of her bed and placed her feet in a pair of fluffy pink unicorn slippers and headed out of her bedroom to find out who needed her attention so badly at this ungodly hour.

Her irritation was quickly replaced by surprise followed by cold rage when she spied her boyfriend Theodore Nott Jr. standing out in the hallway. Only hours ago Theo had left her at the charity ball they had been attending without so much as a "see you later."

Now here he was as if nothing was wrong.

"He's got to be drunk." Tracey thought. "He ran into Blaise or someone and then got shitfaced, and now he thinks he's going to come here and I'll let him have a ride."

Tracey wasn't about to let Theo off that easily. She ripped open the door prepared to tear him a new one when he lunged at her and grabbed her tightly around the wrist.

"You have to come with me right now." he said. Tracey had never seen Theo looking so manic. It was like he was someone else. Someone she didn't know at all. It was frightening. Worse was the fact that she couldn't smell any alcohol on him.

"Let go of me you arsehole!" She demanded, wrenching her arm from his grip. "Where the hell did you run off to? You left me at that ball. I waited for you like a moron until they chucked me out. Who the hell did you run off with?"

"That's not important!" Theo said, reaching out to grab her arm again. Tracey managed to slip out of his grasp deftly. "We have to go right now. He's waiting."

"Who's waiting?" Tracey asked. "Theo you're not making sense."

Theo looked around, avoiding her eyes. He was agitated, afraid even. Something very bad had happened, but Tracey wasn't about to blindly follow Theo into the night without some kind of explanation.

"Theo, you'd better start telling me what is going on or you need to leave right now." Tracey demanded.

"I don't have time for this." Theo snarled. He reached into his robes and started to pull his wand free, but Tracey was quicker. She shoved Theo back, and he stumbled out the door. Tracey slammed it shut and sprinted into her room where her wand lay on her bedside table. She grasped it just as the door exploded and Theo reentered her flat.

His face was contorted into a look of fury now. Tracey had known Theo for seven years during school, and they had started dating in their final year. In all the time she had known him, Tracey had only ever seen Theo lose his temper a handful of times. In fact, she'd barely seen him show any sort of real emotion at all. Theo was a tough nut to crack she had said to her friends. But when you managed to get through his shell, he was pretty amazing.

But this Theo was something else altogether. He was like a wild animal.

Tracey only just managed to get her shield up in time before Theo's stunning spell smashed into it. He tried twice more to stun her, but her shield held, and Theo was beginning to get frustrated.

"Gods damn it Tracey!" Theo shouted. "Why can't you just come with me?"

"You need to leave Theo!" Tracey fired back.

"I can't leave without you!" Theo shouted.

"Just tell me what is going on Theo." Tracey pleaded, keeping her wand leveled at her boyfriend. "What happened tonight? Where did you go?"

"I'm sorry Tracey, but you have to come with me. He needs you." Theo said, and then gave a shudder as if he was suddenly gripped by severe pain.

"What are you talking about?" Tracey asked, now more confused than ever.

"I saw it on you." Theo said, almost pleadingly. "I saw it on you and I told him that you had it. He's so angry. We were supposed to bring him Granger, but Draco let his ego get in the way. He fucked up and she got away and I was the only one who made it back tonight. He was so angry and I swear he was going to kill me until I told him about you. Told him that you had the mark and that I'd seen it with my own eyes. He looked into my mind Tracey. He saw it too. I promised him that I'd bring you to him. He needs you Tracey. He needs you, and I need to bring you to him."

Tracey stood there with her wand aimed at Theo her mind trying to understand what he was saying. It was all so confusing. And then a memory flashed in her mind. It had happened about two weeks ago. The night that she had allowed Theo to undress her.

They had been together in her flat and had enjoyed a nice dinner. Afterwards they had begun enjoying each other's company. Things had gotten more involved than usual and Tracey wanted to take things further. She had allowed his hands to wander more than she usually allowed, and then she had allowed him to take off her shirt and bra. She had really been enjoying it all and was about to ask him to take things a bit further when he gasped and removed himself from her embrace. He had stammered and babbled and then left leaving Tracey very confused. She had later thought that he had not been able to control himself and had gotten embarrassed.

After he had left, she had been feeling very self-conscious and had gone into the bathroom. She examined herself in the mirror for a while, thinking that there was something about her that was flawed in some way. She wasn't skinny, but she was nowhere near fat. He breasts were normal as far as she could tell. Full and firm. They weren't gigantic or anything. Nothing to write home about, but they were nice in her opinion. A good handful each. Her nipples were small, pert and pink. Her tummy was nice. Not flat, but not unappealing either. She had a small beauty mark on her right breast that she thought was rather cute.

She had turned to the side and lifted her arms to get an idea of how thin she was when she saw it for the first time.

"How long has that been there?" she had asked.

It was small, about the size of a knut, and easy to miss, even in the shower unless she had paid detailed attention to everything she washed. It was on her ribs, just to the left of her breast. A dark red oval with an off center cross. It looked like a birthmark, but she was certain that she didn't have a birthmark. She had been very confused by this, and wondered if she should have it looked at. But that had been the last time she'd given it any real thought.

But now, standing here in her flat with her wand leveled at her boyfriend, she was beginning to think differently.

"That's why you left that night." She said, the pieces falling into place. "Because of that… thing on my… wait a minute.

A fear Tracey had never before experience began to crawl up her spine. She narrowed her eyes at Theo, a hex ready on her lips.

"You said Draco fucked up. You hated Draco in school, and now you're hanging out with him? Oh gods, Theo. Please, I'm begging you to tell me that you didn't do what your father wanted. Tell me you didn't do it. Tell me you didn't take the mark."

Theo held up his left arm and rolled back his sleeve revealing the Dark Mark. Tracey's heart went to her throat, and tears stung her eyes. Theo lowered his sleeve and began to raise his wand. Tracey stabbed her wand forward and Theo found himself flying through the wall and into Tracey's neighbor's flat. Tracey had used the most powerful blasting hex she could manage and Theo had taken it full in the chest.

Tracey spun quickly and with a loud crack she disapparated just as Theo was getting to his feet. Theo stared at the spot Tracey had been a moment before and shouted in rage. The woman whose flat he'd been blasted into screamed in fright until Theo turned and aimed his wand. In a flash of green, the woman fell silent forever as Theo rose trying to think of how he was going to explain his way out of this.

* * *

Harry stepped out of the floo, and used his wand to clean the soot off his shirt before he headed into the small dining room where Sirius was waiting.

"Good morning." Harry said and Sirius looked up. Harry's godfather opened his mouth to speak but Annalise came into the dining room and slammed a copy of the Daily Prophet onto the table and glowered at Harry. Harry had never seen Annalise looking so angry. She was normally a very calm and good natured woman. It actually frightened him for a moment.

"You promised me one night without heroics." She snarled. "You promised me that you would meet some girls and dance and be a normal teenaged boy. You lied to me!"

Harry couldn't speak. He looked to Sirius who was very pointedly looking at the table. Harry turned towards Annalise who was still fuming, and then Harry looked at the paper.

The headline was about some new bill being debated in the Wizengamot, but the side article was about the attack at the Charity Ball.

"I had every intention to keep my promise. " Harry started, but Annalise looked ready to argue. Harry quickly held up her hand to stop her. "I didn't have my armor on underneath my dress robes, but I did wear my bracers. It was easier than stuffing my wand in a pocket or something. And I did meet some very lovely ladies. You know I did because I know you saw me dancing with them."

"So what happened?" Sirius asked. "How did you even know there were Death Eaters there?"

"I was coming back from the loo and I happened by some people talking. I heard them mention one of the girls I had been talking to. They were talking about taking her. I couldn't let that happen. I tried to find you but I couldn't see you and…"

"Time was of the essence." Sirius said with a smile.

"Don't you help him." Annalise fired back, though Harry noted she'd lost most of her irritation with him.

"Exactly." Harry nodded.

"You went to the aid of a damsel in distress." Sirius remarked and then looked up at his wife. "Sounds familiar."

"Actually I'm not sure that she was in that much danger." Harry admitted. "She was doing rather well on her own without me. She had quite a spell repertoire and even with her date down for the count, she was holding her own. But if I hadn't intervened, she might not have lasted much longer. They were closing in on her."

Harry let it hang and Annalise sat down. Harry shrugged before continuing.

"The point is that I did the right thing. She was a really nice girl, and you wouldn't have forgiven me if I hadn't done something to help her. And I wouldn't have forgiven myself."

"Alright." Annalise said holding up her hands in defeat. "Alright, you did the right thing, and I can't fault you for that. And I suppose you did keep your promise. You're right, I saw you dancing with those girls. However I am aware that you only did it to appease me."

"Of course I did." Harry rolled his eyes. "But… It wasn't so bad. And I really hate to admit it, but I do miss female company. But before you get all 'I told you so', remember why I'm choosing to do this alone."

"We know Harry." Sirius said quickly. "We know how dangerous it could be for anyone associated with you. Not just from Death Eaters, but from the Aurors. They aren't too pleased with you if the rumors are true."

"Vigilante justice has no place in a civilized society." Annalise frowned. "That was what Madam Bones said wasn't it?"

"Yeah." Sirius nodded. "And I think our plan is working. I'm pretty sure she suspects me."

"I told you that it would be too much of a coincidence." Harry shrugged as he sat down. Annalise followed him, and a moment later a House Elf brought plates of food. Harry and the others thanked Mimsy who blushed and disappeared back into the kitchen. Eggs, bacon, sausages, tomatoes, beans and toast. A proper English breakfast. Harry dug in with gusto, as if he hadn't eaten in a week. Sirius rolled his eyes, knowing that breakfast was Harry's favorite meal of the day.

"They'll watch you until they figure out that you're not anywhere near where I end up fighting these bastards." Harry remarked after swallowing a mouthful of egg. "And that's to our benefit. Speaking of the Aurors, have you managed to find out if there are any we can trust?"

"You still want to try and get someone on the inside?" Sirius asked skeptically.

"Batman had Commissioner Gordon." Harry shrugged. "I need someone on the inside, someone who can get me more information on the whereabouts of the Death Eaters."

"Why don't you ask that…Moody." Annalise asked. "You said he was the most famous Auror in Britain. Surely he might know someone you can trust."

"It's better is I don't connect people." Harry countered. "I don't know how smart Moody really is, but he didn't get his reputation for nothing. I know it's only a matter of time before he goes after Sirius. No, whoever we get needs to be approached on our own."

"I've been putting out feelers, but unfortunately I'm not all that trusted in the court. My disappearance sixteen years ago hasn't endeared me to most people. There's still a lot of people who think I betrayed your parents."

"You warned me about that." Harry nodded. "And for now I think it's best we do nothing to change that. We know the truth and that's all that matters."

"What's your next move?" Sirius wondered. Harry sat back a bit and sighed.

"I'm not sure." He said. "Those ones from last night wanted to take Hermione…"

"Hermione?" Annalise perked up. "That's an unusual name for such a lovely girl. Which one was she?"

"First girl I danced with." Harry said quickly, glowering at Annalise's smirk. "They wanted to take her because she was marked. When I mentioned it to her, she got kind of… I don't know. But I think she knew what I was talking about. I think I need to find out what this mark is, and what it's supposed to mean."

"Sounds to me like you're going to have to see Hermione again." Anna smugly interjected.

Sirius started chuckling and Harry hung his head. He really hated that she was right. Hermione Granger was his best chance to find out what was happening. And that meant he was going to have to find out more about her. Which meant Annalise was going to get her greatest wish…

"Oh shit." Harry muttered.

* * *

"But what is it?" Tracey asked for the third time. She was sitting in Hermione Granger's sitting room on Monday afternoon. It had been a very stressful weekend following the Charity Ball for both girls, and it had involved Death Eaters and Aurors and terror unlike anything either girl had ever known.

"Where did it come from and why are they so interested in it?" Tracey continued.

"I don't know." Hermione sighed as she stared at her empty tea mug. She looked up at her friend and shrugged.

Hermione looked exhausted. She'd barely slept in the past two days. After the party, and subsequent attack on her and Roger, Hermione had submitted to almost an hour of questioning before she had been allowed to visit Roger at St. Mungo's where he'd broken up with her. As it turned out, Roger hadn't been all that into her. Though they'd only been dating a few weeks, it had still really hurt Hermione to be dumped, especially as she'd fought to protect him. In hindsight, Hermione realized that had probably been a major factor. Roger was one of those men who didn't really appreciate a woman protecting him. He found it emasculating.

The rest of her weekend was spent in her books looking for some kind of explanation for the mark she bore on her ribcage that had so intrigued the Death Eaters. She hadn't slept. She'd barely eaten anything, and then she'd been late to work that morning. When she'd arrived at work, it was to find her friend Tracey who looked terrible as well.

Tracey had told Hermione all about what had happened to her and Theo and how she'd been staying with her parents since then. Tracey hadn't told her parents about what had happened because she didn't want them to freak out, or worse, get hurt because of her. Hermione had pointed out the Tracey's father was a wizard and could probably protect them if he had too, and then Tracey reminded Hermione that no one had ever stood against You-Know-Who and lived so far.

Hermione in turn had told Tracey about being attacked by Draco Malfoy and a group of Death Eaters following the Charity Ball. Hermione had revealed that she also had a mark. Tracey had been stunned to say the least and both girls were floored when they discovered that the marks were identical, and in the exact same place on each of them.

After work they'd come to Hermione's flat where the two of them had tried to figure out just what was going on, and why they were at the center of it all.

"Can you remember when the mark showed up?" Hermione asked. Tracey shook her head.

"I can honestly tell you that I didn't notice until that night with Theo. I was so wrapped up with him that I barely gave it thought." Tracey admitted. "But ever since that night, I've been hard pressed to think about anything else. Well, that and the fact that Theo is a Death Eater and somehow, You-Know-Who is still alive."

Hermione bit her bottom lip as the full impact of that one fact hit her. The Darkest wizard in history was still alive following that epic duel in the Ministry. Not only was he still alive, but most of the world believed him dead, again.

"Do you think we're the only ones with this thing?" Tracey asked.

Hermione shook her head, stood up and took Tracey's empty mug and went into the kitchen. Tracey followed and Hermione set about making a fresh pot of tea.

"I don't think we are. I think there have been at least three girls who have been killed." She explained.

"You're talking about those three girls whose bodies were found over the past couple of months. The ones the Prophet says are the work of some serial killer." Tracey looked intrigued.

"I'm almost positive. I think the Death Eaters are hunting people with this mark for You-Know-Who. But I can't think of why." Hermione offered and Tracey went pale.

"Then there's probably more of us, and they might be able to help us, right?" Tracey looked hopeful.

"It's possible if we knew who they were." Hermione nodded. "But I have no idea how to find them… if they're even out there. And what if the mark doesn't show up until they're being hunted. I don't know how long I had the mark before I noticed it. I don't know if it was a day or weeks."

"So we basically have no way of finding anyone else who has the mark unless they get attacked and somehow escape and we hear about it." Tracey deflated. "I hate this. I liked my life better when I was just, just… ARRGH!"

Hermione poured fresh tea for the both of them and handed a mug to Tracey who took it with a grateful look.

"So what can we do?" Tracey asked and Hermione could only shrug.

"I wish I could have talked to that guy in black more." Hermione sighed. "I feel like he knew a lot more than he told me."

"Yeah, the proverbial hero showing up to save the day." Tracey scoffed. "Where was he when I needed him?"

Hermione looked sympathetic as Tracey sipped her beverage.

"I'm just grateful that you're faster with your wand than Theo." Hermione smiled softly and Tracey gave her an appreciative look.

"He was far too emotional. He couldn't aim straight at all." Tracey recalled. "He was so desperate. I feel like he was terrified of going back empty handed. I'm very lucky because Theo may be a little slow with his wand, but he's very powerful, and could have really hurt me."

"I wish I could have asked that guy in black more questions." Hermione said running her hands through her soft curly brown hair. "I just feel like he knew more than he let on. I feel like it wasn't a coincidence that he was there. I think he was already at the Ball."

"Do you have an idea of who it was?" Tracey asked, now looking interested.

"I have a couple of suspicions, but… I don't know." Hermione shrugged.

"What if it was that really cute guy we talked to… what was his name? James?" Tracey smirked.

"James Evans. I thought about that, but he left long before I did." Hermione waved Tracey off. "No… it definitely wasn't him."

"Why not?" Tracey asked. "He could have heard them plotting and then left early to get ready."

"No, there's no way." Hermione sighed. "Come on, you saw him. Did he come across as the hero type to you?"

"I don't know." Tracey shrugged. "I don't even know what the hero type is."

"Selfless." Hermione said, looking a little dreamy. "Kind, strong, puts other before themselves. James was nice, but… I didn't get any of that from him. He seemed a little selfish, and super secretive. Anytime we asked him about himself he either evaded the question, or gave an answer that honestly sounded rehearsed. He didn't come across as genuine."

"I don't even know what you're talking about." Tracey said, clearly puzzled. "He seemed fine to me. "

"He just seemed really phony to me. He was almost too nice in some ways." Hermione sighed, and then she suddenly sat up straight. "Oh my god, he could have been one of them. One of the Death Eaters using Polyjuice or something."

"I guess…. But how did he know you had the mark?" Tracey asked, and then Hermione deflated.

"I don't know." She replied sadly. I don't know how or why any of this is happening."

"So who do you think it was?" Tracey asked, going back to her original line of questioning. "Who was it that showed up in the nick of time and saved your butt?"

"You want to hear something crazy?" Hermione looked up and Tracey indicated she wanted Hermione to continue. "I actually think it was Sirius Black."

"Sirius Black?" Tracey scoffed. "Are you mental?"

"Well think about it." Hermione started but Tracey waved it off.

"Hermione, Sirius Black was in league with the Death Eaters. Everyone knows that." Tracey said sourly. "You heard Angelina. He betrayed his best friend for You-Know-Who and then fled the country when his master was defeated."

"Was he?" Hermione challenged. "We were barely alive when it all happened. We only know what we were told, and we were told that stuff by people who weren't there."

"So what are you just going to go up to Sirius Black and ask him outright?" Tracey asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Hermione looked as if she was contemplating it. "Hermione! He's a ranking member of the Wizengamot and the last of one of the most influential Pureblood Houses. If you insult him, he could make your life far more miserable than Draco Malfoy tried to do. He could make sure that the only job you get is as a chimney sweep for the apothecary."

"I didn't say I was going to!" Hermione said quickly and Tracey breathed a relieved sigh. "I was only thinking about it.

"Well don't." Tracey warned. "I'm serious Hermione. You're my friend, and I don't want to see you banished because you couldn't keep your mouth shut."

"They wouldn't banish me." Hermione began to laugh, and some of Tracey's tension melted away as she realized how ridiculous that had sounded. "But you're right. I have no proof, and if he is what people say he is… I'd be so screwed."

"Screwed?" Tracey looked scandalized. "You must be frustrated. I don't think I've ever heard you swear before.

Hermione began laughing harder now and shook her head. Tracey did as well. It felt good to laugh especially given how truly frightened they both felt. They were no closer to discovering why they had been targeted or if there was a way to escape. They also had no idea if the Death Eaters would return, or if that had been the only time they had been in danger.

And they didn't yet know that they were not alone.


	8. Chapter 8

8\. Maybe it would be better to just show you.

October faded into November, and the air began to get colder and the nights longer. This pleased Harry Potter, who found every extra minute of darkness beneficial in his quest to find and destroy Lord Voldermort. Or he would have if he had made any progress at all.

Harry hadn't seen a single Death Eater in the week following the Charity Ball when he'd rescued one Hermione Granger, though he'd been more than a little impressed at her ability to handle several attackers at once. He was no closer to fulfilling his destiny then when he'd first returned to England with Sirius a few months ago, and he was getting rather agitated about it.

He stood staring at the wall that had once held the Black Family Tree in the center of what had been the study of the Black Ancestral home. Now it was covered in pictures and newspaper clippings. Each picture and article was tacked with a line of red thread and each line of thread led to a large piece of parchment the had VOLDEMORT written on it.

Underneath Voldemort's name was another piece of parchment with the phrase "Marked Girls?" And then under that Hermione Granger's name, along with a description of the first girl Harry had rescued.

Harry couldn't help but smirk as he thought about how well Granger had fought back against the Death Eaters who'd tried to take her. She had been quite good with her wand, and had shown an incredible wealth of knowledge in her spell choices. Had the odds been less in the Death Eaters favor, he was pretty sure that the young woman would have been just fine. Harry would have liked to give her a few pointers to help her with her speed, but overall thought she had handled herself admirably.

Harry thought back to that night for what felt like the millionth time. Specifically the moments before the Aurors arrived and he had to leave. The moment when Hermione had revealed that she possessed some sort of mark that the Death Eaters were more than a little interested in. It had made him recall that the first girl he rescued had been examined by the Death Eaters before he acted.

The Death Eaters were clearly after specific girls who were somehow marked, though Harry had no idea how, orwhat it symbolized. He also wondered if there were more girls marked, though he suspected there were. Just as he suspected that these girls were going to play an important role in whatever Voldemort was planning.

There was only one way he was going to get any answers. He had to find out what was so special about this mark the Death Eaters were looking for. And that meant doing something he had wanted to avoid.

Somewhere Annalise was beside herself with glee.

Deciding that there was no reason to wait on the matter, he headed upstairs to get ready. The young wizard had managed to find out where Hermione lived thanks to Remus. He hadn't asked how Remus had managed to get the address, and the werewolf hadn't been forthcoming with that information.

The top floor of the house had been converted into Harry's armory. He had chosen this room because it was the biggest room in the house and he liked the idea of entering and exiting the house for his nightly adventures through the window. While the room still needed a lot of work, it was sufficient for the moment.

Harry had crafted every item in this room himself, from the dragon hide armor that he wore, to each and every arrow tip. Crafting magical items had been a large part of his education. He'd chosen to do it all himself because he found it soothing in a strange sort of way, but also because he didn't trust anyone else to do it. If it didn't work, it was his own fault.

As he headed to the wardrobe where he kept his suit, he thought fondly of his time in Hungary, where he'd learned how to craft dragonhide. They hadn't stayed long, not even five full months, but he'd really enjoyed it. It had been so peaceful and serene.

By the time Sirius had taken him to that little village, the original idea had already taken root, and Harry was already thinking of what he would need. He and Sirius had had many conversations about the undertaking, and Sirius had been on board from the beginning. Perhaps because he thought it was the wisest course of action, but Harry always felt Sirius had liked the idea because it was something he and Harry's father might have come up with. It was a sort of nod to the original Marauders.

Harry opened the cabinet and reached for the leathery armor and began pulling it on. The blackness of the Hungarian Horntail leather helped him to blend into the shadows, but it was also the most giving of all dragonhides. This helped Harry's movement and flexibility.

But the suit would be nothing without the runes that were branded on the inside. It had been during his time in Budapest, and then he'd revisited the subject while in Tibet. During that time Harry had learned much in the way of combat magic and metal crafting. These skills had gone a long way to help him in constructing the gauntlets he now slipped onto his wrists.

The gauntlets, also made of Hungarian Horntail, contained several other key components. Each gauntlet used a phoenix feather and a unicorn hair as well as a moon crystal each, all of which he'd had to procure from the source. The crystal had been easy. The unicorn hair and phoenix feathers had been less so.

The gauntlets worked better than any wand, and gave the illusion of the wearer being able to wield wandless magic. It allowed his hands to be free so he could use knives, swords, or his bow. Or he could just beat someone down with his fists. His current gauntlets were his sixth attempt, and the most powerful yet, though he was working on a newer pair that he hoped would be even better.

Though he wasn't fond of using it, Harry did keep his wand in a holster, built into the left gauntlet… just in case.

The hood of his suit was a genius bit of work, and had been all Sirius' idea. Harry needed a way to conceal his identity. He had originally planned for a mask, like the iconic heroes from whom he drew his inspiration. However, no matter what he tried, masks always proved problematic. Some slipped, while others made it hard to see, and makeup would run into his eyes when he got sweaty.

Harry was getting frustrated with it all until Sirius asked him why he didn't just charm the hood so people couldn't see his face. That had led to adding charms to disguise his voice as well. It had been fairly simple to do, and after some research, Harry had found runes that would accomplish exactly what he wanted.

Now fully dressed, Harry next went to the rack and began selecting the proper weapons for tonight's outing. While he was sure he wouldn't need anything, it was always better to be prepared for anything. His suit had been designed to conceal quite a few throwing knives, but also allow for him to get them quickly. Each thigh could hold four, which he selected before taking another two for the sheathes in the small of his back. He then slid four more into holsters on his chest. Each knife Harry had made in the basement of Grimmauld place. They had to be perfectly balanced so they could be thrown accurately. Each one was etched with runes that could be activated by Harry as he threw them. Some would burn their targets, while others would freeze. Some would become extremely heavy, and some would just explode. But until they were activated… they were just light steel throwing knives.

The arrows Harry selected next worked much the same way. As Harry drew his bow, he would speak to the arrow, activating the runes embedded in the shaft just before letting it fly. The idea had come from some of the comics he'd been introduced to in America. His favorite hero had a lot of different arrows for different objectives, and somehow never seemed to run out. Harry knew that, without adding a heavily enchanted quiver, he would be very restricted in the variety of his ammunition. He also wanted to keep his magical signature as low as possible. Add that he needed to be light on his feet as much as possible and the fighter found a frustrating limitation in his ammunition. He once again found the solution in runes, and this went very well with his archery training under the Tibetan masters. He had been practicing with a bow since age seven, yet he perfected his skills under their tutelage.

Now fully outfitted, Harry pulled the hood over his head, feeling the concealment charms activate. With a wave of his hand, the window opened and Harry sprinted, leaping out of the window head first. The moment he felt gravity begin to pull him down, He shut his eyes and focused. With the softest of pops, he disappeared into the night.

* * *

Hermione Granger sat on the sofa in the middle of her one room flat, with a light blanket over her legs, and a heavy book in her hands. The floor in front of her was piled with books. She had been pouring through them since the night of the attack, trying to find information about the strange mark on her side that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

Outside of work, the witch had done little else besides research. She was no longer dating, so once again, Hermione found herself single. The jerk had dumped her while he'd been in the hospital. Apparently he hadn't appreciated a woman protecting him. He hadn't said it outright, but Hermione had picked up the subtleties in his actual words. Honestly she really didn't need to be with someone with such a fragile ego anyway.

It was fine though as far as Hermione was concerned. She hadn't been ready to give Roger the kind of attention he wanted from her. Roger was not unlike the last three men she'd dated. While Hermione didn't consider herself a prude, she wasn't in a hurry to explore a physical relationship, just for the sake of getting naked and breeding like rabbits.

Hermione hadn't spent a lot of time thinking about Roger, because another man was preoccupying her mind. The strange, hooded man in black, who'd come to her aid two nights ago and had revealed the reason she'd been attacked. According to the report she had read in the paper, this man was considered quite dangerous, and had been linked to the murders of Samantha Pike, Marjorie Pucey and Lilith Moon.

Hermione was convinced that the hooded man wasn't dangerous, at least not the way the paper seemed to believe. He was definitely a threatening figure, one who struck down Death Eaters without mercy. His actions had been mysterious, and it troubled her that he ran away before the Aurors arrived. But she was mostly sure he meant her no harm, or he wouldn't have given her back her wand, now would he?

The Death Eaters, now they posed an actual threat to her. Hermione represented a challenge to everything that they believed. She was a magically powerful muggleborn which in itself flew in the face of their rhetoric. The young witch knew more spells than most pureblood adults and was able to master many spells her pureblooded classmates hadn't been able to even attempt. Most remarkably, she had been the top of her graduating class at Hogwarts.

Sadly none of that mattered in the "real" world. If she had been a pureblood, she would likely have gotten a much better job at the Ministry, instead of filing and taking dictation. But Hermione was nothing if not driven, and knew that she could work her way up in time. Unless of course, the Death Eaters accomplished whatever it was they wanted with her. Whatever it was, this strange mark on her side was at the heart of it. Which is why she was reading reading everything she had been able to find on magical scars and birthmarks. The fact that Madam Pince had allowed her to take Hogwarts books out of the school was a testament to her strong friendship with the usually fanatical librarian.

With an exasperated sigh, Hermione dropped the book heavily onto the pile in front of her and rubbed her eyes. She glanced at her watch and noted the lateness of the hour with a grimace. She had to be at work the next morning, and if she didn't try to get some sleep, she would be useless.

Throwing the blanket from her legs, the slender young woman rose from the sofa. Though she would not consider herself so, Hermione Granger was a beautiful girl, with big, cinnamon brown eyes. While she disliked her mousy brown hair, it now fell over her shoulders in gentle curls rather than the untamable, bushy mane that she'd struggled with in school.

She was lithe, like a ballet dancer, with a swan like neck. Her long legs were clad in comfortable jeans and she wore a long sleeved shirt that revealed a thin waist and hugged her modest chest. Though her breasts weren't very large, they weren't small either, they were perfectly proportioned for her figure.

Though fully covered, she still shivered a bit, noting how cold it was in her flat. She could have used magic to heat things up, but chose not to. The last time she had, her neighbors complained about how hot their homes had become. Hermione figured that her spell's area of affect was much bigger than she had planned. Besides, there was something rather romantic in sitting curled up on a sofa, wrapped in a blanket, reading a book.

She picked up her empty tea mug and took it to the sink, where she washed it out and set it on the rack to dry. She smiled softly to herself because she loved her tiny little flat. Her parents hated it and had nearly begged her to move back home, but Hermione didn't want to give up her independence. She liked being on her own.

She went to the bathroom, brushed her teeth and then washed her face. She next tied her hair back and slipped out of her jeans in preparation to go to sleep. She was about to leave the bathroom when she stopped, lifted her shirt, and turned to the side. She slipped her fingers under the side of her bra and lifted. There on her pale, cream colored skin stood the dark red oval with the off center cross. Tracing the mark with the tip of her finger, she knitted her brow in confusion and let out a sigh as she put her bra back and dropped her shirt back down.

She went to collect her things for work and got them organized, though she wasn't really concentrating on the task. When she was finished, and there was nothing more that she could do to forestall it, she headed towards her bed.

She had spent the last two nights staying awake to get to the bottom of this mystery that she and Tracey were involved in, and it was really starting to wear her down. She really needed to get some sleep, or she was certain she was going to lose her job. Too many nights staying awake to get to the bottom of this mystery she and Tracey were involved in were really starting to wear her down. So she was going to bed at a reasonable hour tonight.

And that's when everything went dark.

Hermione's heart leapt into her throat as she was certain Death Eaters had come to finish what they'd failed to do two nights ago. Hermione snatched up her wand from the table behind her and tried several times to conjure any sort of light to no success. Sucking in a deep breath, she prepared herself to remind the Death Eaters why she had been called the brightest witch of her age. Hermione thought of the most powerful bone snapping jinx she could, and prepared to fight.

"Miss Granger?" Came the haunting chorus of voices. Hermione spun to her right and shot a powerful bone breaker, which flashed against an electric blue shield. Her spell didn't bounce off, but was actually absorbed into the shield, which left Hermione with her jaw hanging open. Slowly a lamp behind the figure began to light, keeping the intruder in shadow, but Hermione was certain she knew who it was.

"You." She said shocked, though she kept her wand leveled at her intruder.

"I'm very sorry for this intrusion. I didn't wish to scare you, or even trouble you, unfortunately, you're the only person who might be able to help me. I need answers, and I believe you may have some of those answers." Said the voices.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

"A friend." The chorus responded.

"How are you doing that with your voice?" She asked. "Last time it sounded like two voices, maybe three, but I'm picking out like five this time. It's a rather brilliant way to disguise your voice. And your hood, I can't see anything, not even a hint of your face. Is it a glamour charm of some sort of barrier?"

"Miss Granger, please. As much as I'd love to brag about my concealment work, people's lives are in danger, including yours. I need to find out everything I can to stop the Death Eaters and Voldemort."

"How can it be him?" Hermione looked curious. "He hasn't been seen since Dumbledore fought him. We all thought he was dead. I mean yes the fact that Death Eaters are still out and about is scary, but I just thought they were trying to carry on his legacy or something. But he's really alive? How did he survive? Dumbledore wasn't even able to heal himself. He was so…"

"Did Voldemort's body ever turn up?" The chorus asked.

"The popular theory is that the Death Eaters hid it to perpetuate the lie that he was still alive. I'm going to guess you don't believe he was finished." Hermione said thinking she shouldn't be surprised. The darkest wizard in recent history had once been thought dead before.

"That night I told you that you were attacked because you were marked. You knew what I was talking about, but we never got to speak about it. Can you tell me now?" The chorus asked politely.

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but then stopped herself. She tried again to explain, but again stopped herself. She couldn't figure out how to put into words what she had been trying to figure out for the last few days. And then she realized that words wouldn't do.

"Maybe it would be better to just show you." Hermione said, and began lifting her shirt.

"What are you doing?" The chorus asked, sounding a little panicked.

"I'm showing…" And then Hermione realized exactly what she was wearing and what she was doing. She brought her hands down, bringing the hem of her shirt down to cover her white cotton knickers, her face burning with humiliation.

"I… I was going to show you the mark. I forgot that I wasn't decent." She stammered.

"Oh." Was all the chorus said in response. It looked to Hermione as if he was now avoiding looking at her, though she couldn't tell for sure. It made her feel good that she could make this… whatever he was, feel embarrassed. Maybe he'd never seen a nearly nude girl before. Either way, he needed to see the mark. He had to know what the Death Eaters were looking for, right?

"Don't get any ideas." Hermione warned. "I'm not going to throw myself at you because you helped me. I just… I think you need to see it for yourself. Maybe you know what it is."

With that, Hermione slowly and awkwardly lifted her t-shirt again and turned so her left side was to her visitor. She lifted her let arm, and with her right arm, pulled her lacy white bra up a bit to expose the small mark. The hooded figure stepped closer and brought a gloved hand up, which produced a small ball of light.

"How'd you do that?" Hermione asked, entranced by his show of wandless magic.

"How long have you had this mark?" The chorus of voices asked.

"I don't know, it just showed up one day. I went to a healer but they couldn't find anything wrong with me. I've been trying to figure out what it means, but I haven't been able to find anything." She confessed sourly. "Do you have any ideas?"

He closed his fist and the light went out.

"Seriously, how did you do that? Wandless magic is really, really rare. Even Dumbledore couldn't do it. He told me so." Hermione gaped at the faceless figure.

"You're not the only one marked, Miss Granger." He said with the musical voices, once again ignoring her questions.

"What do you mean?" She wondered.

"You're the second young woman I've personally aided when Death Eaters tried to take them. They were all interested in a mark in the same place as yours. Perhaps this other young woman may be able to aide you in your research and then you can relay that information to me." The chorus said.

"You want me to help you?" She asked, sounding incredulous. "I don't even know who you are. The paper makes you out to be some psycho killer. And showing up to my home and extinguishing all the lights like this really doesn't do a lot to gain my trust."

The man in the hood just stood there silently. Hermione wondered if he was trying to figure out a way to make her trust him. She didn't really need for him to do that, he'd already come to her rescue. He'd helped her fight off the Death Eaters and was trying to protect her and apparently one other.

"So, if I were to agree to help you, I'd need to know who the other girl was that you helped." Hermione asked.

"I wasn't given the privilege of her name." He said. "But I know she lives in London, two blocks from the Leaky Cauldron. A blonde. There may be more Miss Granger. I need to find them before the Death Eaters get to them. I fear you all may be part of a larger plan, and we need to stop it. In the meantime, I will try and find out about the mark. Perhaps I can find something that will tell me how to help you get rid of it."

Hermione gave a nod and then cocked her head and looked sourly at him. "Alright. I will try and find this other girl and when you figure something out you let me know. And when you do decide to drop in, it would be nice if you didn't intrude on my personal space… especially when I'm not decent."

"I am deeply sorry." The voices said and the hooded head lowered contritely. "How about we meet on the roof? That way we are on equal footing, and I won't intrude on you."

"I'll do what I can. Sunday night at…"

"Eleven pm." He said. "Once again, my sincerest apologies. If I had my way, I would never have bothered you."

And then he was gone, and the next moment Hermione was blinded as all the lights in her flat came back on. She stared at the spot that her strange visitor had been only a moment ago and could only wonder at what she had witnessed. Clever concealment charms, and wandless magic. Not to mention the fact he had somehow dampened all the light, including any spells she had tried to conjure illumination. The only thing she seemed certain of was that he had been earnest about not wanting to bother her. He had even seemed embarrassed when she'd lifted her shirt. And what had that been about anyway? She'd never ever been so bold before in her entire life. She'd only ever kissed two boys in all her nearly nineteen years and here she was practically taking off her clothes in front of a stranger?

"That isn't what happened." She told herself aloud. "It was the only way to show him the mark. And I had my bra on."

 _Yeah, the sexy lacy one,_ An inner voice said. _Come on, it's like something out of a trashy romance novel. Dark hero, brilliant heroine. And he came here to pick your brain and you let him know that you're a girl, and a pretty damned sexy one as well._

Hermione growled and grabbed two fistfuls of hair in frustration. She was not going to get a lot of sleep tonight, there was no doubt about that.

* * *

The bricks rearranged themselves to open the barrier into Diagon Alley. Two young women were leaning on one another, snorting with laughter and singing quite loudly as the portal opened. The taller of the two, a curvaceous, attractive redhead began to lead her friend, a slender blonde who was having a lot of trouble getting her feet to work properly.

The redhead, Susan Bones, was eighteen years old and had a round face with a smattering of freckles, deep brown eyes, and very plump, kissable lips. She was quite buxom and her dress showed off her ample cleavage. She had to stop for a moment and use her best friend to help her balance so she could take off her high heeled shoes, as she was having a lot trouble walking straight with them on thanks mostly to the many, many glasses of wine she had consumed tonight. It was cold tonight, and there was definitely a chance for the first snow of the season, but Susan was far too drunk to care.

Hannah Abbott, in contrast was quite slim and not nearly as blessed in the breast area as her friend. But Hannah was just as beautiful with long straight blonde hair, bright blue eyes and very long legs.

Both girls were recent graduates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and at the moment more than a little drunk. When Susan finally managed to get her shoes off, the two intertwined arms, and leaned against each other as they traveled further into the alley towards the flat they shared above Quality Quidditch Supplies.

"Susan, my love, I want you to know that when I get married..." Hannah hiccupped. "I'm going to make Megan's bachelorette party look like a high tea with the Queen!"

Susan roared with laughter. "I thought her head was going to pop when she opened that box of dildoes!"

"Did you see her mother's face?" Hannah howled. "I think she sprayed Tom from across the pub with that mouthful of wine!"

"Such a waste of tasty, tasty wine." Susan mourned the loss of her favorite drink, pouting her supple pink lips in a frown.

"I'd be interested to know if her mum took one or two of those little toys home." Hannah quipped which made Susan double over with laughter.

The two girls continued laughing and stumbling home from what they proclaimed to be a pretty nice send off for their dorm mate, Megan Jones, who was set to be married in a few days. The pair was so engrossed in trying not to fall over that neither noticed several figures emerging from the shadows to trail them. That is, until someone stepped in front of them to block their path home.

"Good evening ladies."

The voice was coarse, like the speaker had gargled with gravel. Susan and Hannah tried to be polite and walk around, but the robed man maneuvered himself so he remained in front of them. When the girls realized that this person wasn't going to let them get around, they turned around and that's when they learned of the four others who had been following them.

"There will be no need to scream, we mean you no harm." The leader said, stepping forward. "We simply need to be sure of something. Resist, and we will be forced to make this… unpleasant."

He grabbed a hold of Hannah's arm but the blonde tore away from his grip, trying to look as scary as she could, which was rather difficult given her current drunken state.

"Just stun them and be done with it." Another voice said impatiently.

"You really should leave us alone." Susan said. She tried to sound as menacing as she could, even as she dropped her shoes and began searching her hand bag for her wand. She noted Hannah following her example. "My Aunt is the head of the Magical..."

"We are perfectly aware of who you are Miss Bones." The leader said lazily. "We've been watching you for a while."

"Perverts." Hannah spat which made the whole circle chuckle.

"Yes, I suppose you could level that charge, Miss Abbott." The leader said. "After all, each of us has witnessed your delightful little dance routine in your kitchen. You know the one, that you do wearing only your tiny t-shirt and panda knickers?"

Hannah's face reddened with anger and embarrassment.

"Quite the spectacle." He continued. "But we have no time to discuss your dancing talents. We really need to move things forward, we're already far behind schedule."

He nodded to someone behind Hannah who stepped forward, reaching out for the blonde.

"STUPEFY!" Susan shouted, having finally found her wand. The crimson spell tore through her handbag, and hit the leader in the hip, sending him tumbling backward. Susan grabbed Hannah and began to run, but both girls were still quite drunk, and only made it a few steps before they stumbled to their knees.

"NO!" Someone shouted as a spell exploded on the ground just to Hannah's right. "We're not to hurt either of them until we're sure!"

"Just grab the bitches!"

"That redhead is mine!"

Susan managed to get to her feet, and struggled to pull Hannah up as well as the remaining several black robed figures closed in on them. Susan heard one of them revive their leader who roared angrily as he got to his feet.

A pair of hands wrapped around Susan's waist, and she felt herself lifted off the ground. Susan shrieked as she struggled against the iron like grip around her waist. She flailed and kicked and finally threw her head back, smashing the back of her skull into what she hoped was a nose. She fell, landing shakily on her bare feet and tried to remain upright, though her whole world was spinning now.

"HANNAH RUN!" Susan shrieked. Hannah's scream of terror told Susan that it was too late. Susan couldn't see her best friend, but she heard struggling, and what sounded like Hannah's dress being torn. She once again found herself being grabbed around the waist and she realized that she was not going to be so lucky this time. Her assailant was trying to bend her over, while pawing at her left side, grabbing her dress roughly. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel something pressing into her posterior that told her this was a man, he was excited, and she was in for a lot of pain and suffering.

And then, quite suddenly Susan found herself on the ground once again, this time on her hands and knees. She turned around quickly to find what had been the biggest of the five Death Eaters flailing about while fire engulfed his robes. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and everything within her was screaming for her to get up and run, and yet, none of her muscles were listening to her.

"GOYLE!" Someone shouted. Susan was startled from watching the spectacle as Hannah grabbed her arm to pull her away. The other Death Eaters seemed confused and were looking for whomever had set Goyle on fire while one of the black robed villains doused his compatriot with an well placed aguamenti spell.

"Your amulet!" Hannah shouted. "Get us some help now!"

Susan quickly reached into the top of her dress where a special medallion rested on an unbreakable gold chain. It had been a gift from her Aunt to be used only in emergencies. Susan squeezed the coin and spoke the password to activate it while still trying to get to her feet with Hannah's help.

Just as she managed to get upright, her legs were pulled out from under her. Both girls dropped to the ground, only to find it spongy and soft. They never noticed as something sailed over their heads, just barely missing them.

However they did hear the solid thunk, and turned to see a Death Eater, who had been directly behind them, as he tumbled backwards about ten feet. Both girls were horrified when his chest erupted in a shower of blood and gore before he'd even come to rest.

Their attention was drawn the other direction as they followed the volley of spells fired by the Death Eaters to their target. Susan got her first glimpse of a hooded figure in black dodging the Death Eater's most dangerous spells.

"What the hell is going on?" Hannah asked, as she and Susan crawled away from what had become a combat zone. They made their way towards Florean Fortescue's ice cream shop, where they turned over a table to hide behind. From there they watched in shock as four Death Eaters tried and failed to incapacitate the dark clad figure. The new comer was handling the Death Eaters quite well using his fists, and what looked like a bow, though the girls couldn't be sure given how fast they were moving and how dark it was when there were no spells being traded.

The spell fire lit up the alley and both Susan and Hannah could see their protector was wearing some kind of leather, and was making swift work of the Death Eaters with a series of punches and kicks. He moved faster than anything the girls had ever witnessed before. He used a sweeping kick to topple one of the black robed figures before leaping into the air and wrapping his legs around the neck of another, throwing his body back, and flinging the Death eater head over heels into one of the others. The man in black was on his feet in an instant and sending an almighty kick into the chest of another foe, sending him crashing through the window of the small stationary shop.

Now that his friends were out of the line of fire, albeit due to their having their arses kicked, the last standing Death Eater opened fire. The girls recognized the gravelly voice as he launched spell after spell, trying to at least slow down the steadily approaching foe.

The man in black dodged each spell, moving closer and closer, until he launched a series of kicks that finished the fight. The first hit the Death Eater's wand hand, disarming the big man and leaving him standing wide open for a final attack. The ebony clad fighter followed through with a high spinning kick that lifted the robed man and spun him three or four times before he fell onto the brick street. The hooded man then swiftly knelt, and hammered his fist into the face of the leader. Then, with a bright flash, the masked assailant lay utterly still, as though dead.

As he rose to his feet, the three remaining Death Eaters were getting back up as well. The girls watched as their rescuer simply stood still, watching as the dark robed figures moved to surround him. It seemed as though he was waiting for the Dark Lord's followers to make their moves.

"You just signed your death warrant." One of the Death Eaters said, as he stabbed his wand at the troublemaker, releasing the sickly green of the killing curse. Their rescuer bent himself backward, nearly in half, to avoid the spell. The girls screamed as glass of the ice cream shop behind them exploded and debris rained down on them.

The hooded man snatched something off his right leg and flung it at the closest Death Eater. There was a sickening, wet thunk and the robed man fell to his knees, choking on his own blood, the handle of a throwing knife sticking of his throat. The remaining two Death Eater prepared for another volley of spells, when there were seven loud cracks. The alley became flooded in bright light and a flurry of spells were sent at the Death Eaters and their foe. The unrobed Death Eater fell flat on his face, having been hit by three stunners. The last standing Death Eater, and the strange hooded figure proved quite adept at spell dodging as was evidenced by the show they were putting on. The Death Eater tried to return fire, but the other simply maneuvered himself to avoid being hit by the Aurors.

"Are you alright?" A woman in dark blue Auror robes and short spiked, bubblegum pink hair asked as she knelt next to Susan and Hannah while watching the fight. Both girls nodded, hardly paying the Auror any mind as they watched their savior dance around, avoiding the spells being fired at him.

There was a crack as the final Death Eater disapparated. The leather clad man remained behind and had still not attempted to fight back against the law enforcement officers who had now begun to surround him. When they had him encircled, they stopped firing spells at him, though no one lowered their wand.

"Drop your wand and your weapons." One of them called. The hooded figure held his arms at his sides, though he made no move to drop his bow.

"I don't think he has a wand." Susan remarked softly. Hannah agreed, and the pink haired Auror looked on with interest.

"On your knees, NOW!"

"I'm not your enemy." Came the response, which sounded almost like a choir of angels speaking. The voices seemed to be coming from everywhere, which confused the responding Aurors who glanced around, now worried they had walked into an ambush.

"We can talk about that later, back at the Ministry." Kingsley Shacklebolt said, cautiously approaching the man in black. "Drop the weapons and put your hands in the air. Don't make this difficult."

"I'm not making this difficult, you are." The strange voices said. The man kept his arms out away from his body, but made no attempt to drop his bow. "I'm trying to help you."

"I think we've had enough of your kind of help." Rupert Gallagher growled. The Auror, who had managed to get quite close to the suspect, reached out to clasp the leather clad figure's arm. His hand landed on the ornate looking gauntlet and ripped his arm back as his hand was burned when he grabbed the perpetrator's wrist.

"You son of a bitch!" Gallagher snapped, taking a swing at the hooded head. The man in black ducked and stepped away.

"He's trying to run!" Someone shouted, and she fired a stunner which the hooded man actually back flipped to avoid. Both Susan and Hannah let out a soft sound of amazement.

More spells followed, and the hooded figure began to run, clearly not having another option. Hannah and Susan got to their feet and watched as the Aurors fruitlessly tried to chase down their rescuer. The hooded man dodged every spell, and soon he had used his surroundings to get to the rooftops, before he disapparated away with a thunderous crack.

The Aurors all looked quite confused, but began to lock down the area so they could begin their investigation.

"Who the hell was that?" The woman who'd come to check on them asked. Both Hannah and Susan looked back at the Auror with confusion on their faces.

"He just showed up." Hannah said, and then turned and vomited all over the street. Susan reached out to keep her friend from collapsing.

"You two been drinking?" the Auror asked.

"We were on our way home from a Bachelorette party." Susan explained. The Auror conjured a bench for the girls to sit down on before she cleaned away the contents of Hannah's stomach. She ordered the girls to remain there until she returned, which they agreed to do.

"Kingsley." Tonks said, as she approached her partner.

"Are they alright?" Shacklebolt nodded to the girls.

"Very drunk, but they're ok." Tonks nodded. "So…"

Kingsley held up his hand to stop Tonks from saying more.

"Now isn't the time." Kingsley grimaced.

"Bastard got away." Gallagher said, as he approached, still shaking his burnt hand. Tonks got a good sniff of burnt flesh, and fought the urge to gag. "He disapparated as soon as he got over Magical Menagerie. The little shit was fast."

"You were a little fast, too." Kingsley remarked.

"What the hell does that mean?" Gallagher asked, looking cross. Kingsley ignored Gallagher as he turned round to take charge of the situation.

"Take him back to the Ministry." Kingsley pointed to the stunned Death Eater, lying on the ground nearby. "And I want to know who the other three are immediately."

"You can't order me around like a subordinate, Shacklebolt." Gallagher growled.

"If you have a problem, then you can take it up with Scrimgeour when you get back to the office. For now, you'll do as you're told!" Kingsley warned before turning his back on a fuming Gallagher, and walking over to the two girls with Tonks at his side.

"Miss Bones, I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt." Kingsley smiled.

"How do you know who I am?" Susan looked up, bleary eyed. Kingsley turned to Tonks and said something softly to her. Tonks nodded and rushed away.

"I know your Aunt quite well. She's quite proud of you. There are more than a few photos of you in her office."

"Oh, that makes sense I guess." Susan muttered, turning to Hannah who had her head between her knees and was mumbling.

"Are you both alright?" Kingsley asked. Susan continued watching her best friend for a moment before looking back at the tall, black Auror.

"We're both going to be pretty hungover, and I'm trying very hard not to throw up." Susan said, her eyes rolling up as she took a few breaths.

"I can get some relief for you both." Kingsley smiled, turning to wave to another Auror. He turned as several apparition cracks could be heard. Six other Aurors appeared, along with Amelia Bones herself, who rushed over and hugged her niece fiercely.

"Are you alright, Sue?" She asked, looking rather relieved to see her niece alive, and seemingly unharmed.

"Here." Tonks said, giving two vials of bright blue liquid to Kingsley, who in turn handed one each to Susan and Hannah.

"Sobering potion." He said by way of explanation. "It won't do anything for your hangover, but we need you sober before we can question you about what happened here."

Both girls drank the bitter concoction down, and immediately felt sober and clear headed.

"Thank you." Hannah said, sitting up straight at last, pushing her messy hair out of her face.

"What happened here?" Amelia asked, looking to Kingsley.

"That's what we'd like to know." Kingsley replied, looking to Susan and Hannah.

"We'd just left Megan Jones' bachelorette party. and were walking to our flat above Quality Quidditch Supplies, just there." Susan pointed over her shoulder to show they had nearly been home. "When this guy steps in front of us. It was dark and he was in black."

"The one with the bow?" Kingsley asked. Madam bones looked up. puzzled by the question, but Hannah and Susan shook their heads together.

"It was the Death Eater. That one." The blonde said. as she pointed to the body being levitated now. The two Aurors and the Head of their Department turned to look as an Auror was levitating a body and moving it away.

"What happened next? Kingsley asked, turning back to the girls.

"He said something about wanting to be sure of something, and if we cooperated then it would be easy or something." Hannah said, waving her hand as if she were swatting an insect. "It's still fuzzy."

"They had us surrounded, and I got my wand out and stunned the one that spoke. We tried to run, but we were too drunk." Susan continued. "That big one got me, and I head butted him, but I didn't get away, and I thought he was going to rape me. He was trying to tear off my dress."

"The one that got me ripped my dress here." Hannah said, pointing to her left side.

Tonks and Kingsley looked at one another with wide eyes.

"May I take a look?" Tonks asked. Hannah shrugged and lifted her left arm as Tonks approached. As the Auror opened the ripped dress, she fought down the gasp that was threatening to escape her lips, as she saw the now familiar oval with the cross.

"Miss Bones, may I see your left side?" Tonks asked. Susan nodded, and Tonks opened a small tear in Susan's dress, but found no signs of the mark. Tonks thanked them both before stepping back. Kingsley was watching Tonks who met his eyes and gave a small nod towards Hannah. Amelia Bones gave her two Aurors a questioning look.

"Thank you ladies." Kingsley said. "We'll have someone escort you home in a moment, and we may need to speak to you again tomorrow."

Kingsley and Tonks took a few steps away. Madam Bones followed them and they stopped, turning to face their superior.

"Only Abbott had the mark. Susan's skin was clean. Disgustingly soft too. I'm kind of jealous." Tonks muttered.

"This isn't the time, Tonks." Kingsley stated flatly.

"Sorry." Tonks shrugged, as she watched Amelia Bones speak to her niece and the other girl. "Ok, so we know Death Eaters are hunting girls that have that weird mark, but what about the guy in leather?"

"Not now." Kingsley tried as he started looking around.

"Kingsley, this guy has showed up twice now and protected three people! If we aren't going to talk about it now, then when?"

"Right now Tonks, our priority is finding out what this mark is, and why it's important to the Death Eaters and what the fuck they want these girls for! We're not…" Kingsley cut himself off as Amelia Bones approached, looking rather impatient.

"Okay, can you please explain to me what in the seventh layer of hell is going on here? Why did you want to look at Susan's skin? She demanded. "And I would love to know who the man in black they just told me did your jobs for you was."

"That isn't what happened." Tonks began, but a harsh glare from Bones stopped her from adding more.

"Amelia, he's a crazy squib with a superhero complex who's going to get himself killed. He was using a bow and arrow for god's sake." Kingsley tried, but Amelia shook her head.

"Funny, because I was just told he took out one of the Death Eaters with magic. Wandless magic." Amelia stated.

"With all due respect Madam, It was dark, they were drunk and we can't be sure of anything they think they saw." Kingsley argued as respectfully as he could. "He's one guy and not an army of psychotics hunting down girls, like her!"

Amelia turned to look at Hannah whom Kingsley had pointed to.

"Which brings us back to my first question." Amelia Bones said. "What was it you were looking for?"

"She has a birthmark on her left side." Tonks explained. "The same mark was discovered on the bodies of the our three victims, underneath all those runes. The Death Eaters are hunting these girls, but we don't know why yet."

"So she needs protection?" Amelia asked.

"I might not be a bad idea." Kingsley nodded.

"Put your best on it." Amelia ordered, her countenance becoming stony again. "I want you report on my desk first thing in the morning, and I never want to hear of either of you doing such a half-assed inquiry ever again. And as far as this nut in leather goes, if he's seen again, I want him brought in. Someone like that clearly needs professional help."

"Yes, Madam." Kingsley nodded, looking chastised. Amelia turned and went back to her niece and Hannah while Kingsley and Tonks watched.

"That was ballsy." Tonks remarked.

"She's been out of the field for a while, and she's too close to this particular incident because of her niece. Twenty years ago, she would have done the same thing. But she's right. I should have asked more questions. Once you confirmed that mark, I wanted to get back to the Ministry to interrogate the Death Eater we managed to catch. Tonks, I want you to make sure our witnesses get home, and then I want you to set up a guard rotation, and I want you to take first watch. I'm going to have a chat with our guest and see if I can find out who they're after and why." Kingsley said grimacing. Tonks gave him a nod and turned to do what she'd been asked.

He watched from the shadows on the roof of Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor as the Aurors documented the scene, and took away the bodies, and his chance to finally interrogate a Death Eater. Granted, they were only doing their jobs, but it still sucked.

He had decided after his meeting with Hermione Granger to make a sweep of Diagon Alley in hopes of finding one or two Death Eaters. He figured that if he could find one of them, he might be able to interrogate them, and find out why they were hunting marked girls, and how many of them were out there. He hadn't imagined coming across another attack on a marked girl.

It was a golden opportunity, five Death Eaters meant five opportunities for information. And they were trying to take another marked girl. But then the Aurors showed up and ruined it all.

Harry had thought that perhaps they would be reasonable and allow him to explain, but they had attacked him. Without provocation even. He wanted the Aurors help. He needed it, and had planned to approach at least one of them at some point soon. But after tonight, he imagined that was going to be far more difficult than he expected.

He was sure that the one who'd tried to grab him would have chased him across the country if he hadn't disapparated. He also knew that he had to make it as loud as possible, so they wouldn't notice him apparating right above them. He couldn't just run off. He needed information, and he did manage to get a bit while he was observing the scene below.

He now knew who Amelia Bones was. He'd heard her name, and knew she lead the Magical Law Enforcement Division. He also now knew he'd just rescued her niece which could be useful if he needed help getting her to listen to him or something.

He also now had confirmation that the Death Eaters were targeting girls who were marked, like Hermione was. He wondered if she had told the Aurors about the mark. Something to ask her about when he saw her next.

He followed the lady with the pink hair as she and Madam Bones escorted the two girls to their home. He made a mental note of it's location so he could let Hermione Granger know that another girl had been identified. Perhaps if they got together, they might be able to piece together this increasingly confusing puzzle.


	9. Chapter 9

9\. I'm placing my faith in you

He sat in the center of the candlelit room with his legs folded, his hands on his knees, palms up. His eyes were closed and his breath was regulated, deep and slow. There was no sound in the room except the slow, steady, in and out of his breathing.

In.

Out.

Harry Potter didn't often meditate. He'd never been really good at it. His mind was far to chaotic and active to truly get any real benefit from it. At east that's what he thought kept him from mastering the art. It was the same reason he had for being unable to truly master Occlumency. He just could not calm his mind enough. His masters in Tibet had never been happy that he couldn't calm his mind. It was the only thing he had ever disappointed them with.

Yet he still tried occasionally. When things became too much, he found that meditation sometimes managed to center his thoughts, which permitted him to examine whatever was puzzling him from a different angle. It allowed him to somewhat filter out the outside world and give all of his attention to a single problem. Which is exactly what he was trying to do at the moment.

In.

Out.

It had been nearly three weeks since the attack in Diagon Alley. Three weeks since he'd faced the Aurors after saving two potential victims from a Death Eater attack. Three weeks since he'd spoken to Hermione Granger and seen the mark for himself. Three weeks without a clue as to why these particular girls were so important.

Since the incident in Diagon Alley, Harry had scoured through the Black Family library, trying to find books that might give a clue as to what Voldemort wanted these girls for.

He'd spent his nights patrolling his favorite haunts, hoping to catch another Death Eater. He wanted a chance to interrogate a Death Eater and learn for himself just what it was his enemy intended. There had been no dark robed figures for him to stalk, though he did notice a few more Auror patrols in the Alley.

For nearly three weeks he'd been met with nothing but failure. He was beginning to go crazy from all the failure, that's when he realized that he needed to recenter himself.

In.

Out.

Four girls in three attempts. In each instance, there had been mention of a mark, or the Death Eaters had actually checked the girls for this strange indicator. According to Hermione Granger, the symbol had just appeared on her body one day, though she could not say exactly when.

This meant that the mark which identified the girls had to have been placed on each girl. This could have been done by some sort of hex or charm or something. However, charms and hexes had to be applied physically, and that meant that Hermione and the other girls would have known exactly when the mark was applied, unless of course they had been obliviated afterwards. But why not take the girls then? That was an interesting thing to note.

In.

Out.

Another way that the girls could have gotten the mark would be if they had been born with it. But then why would Hermione have only noticed it recently. It was extremely unlikely that she wouldn't have noticed such a mark her whole life, given where it was. Harry could have understood if it had been on her back or another place she could see, but on her ribs, she would have noticed it at some point. On the other hand, it could have been so faint so as not to be noticed, which led back to it being charmed or hexed in order to be more clear, which then meant the girls would likely know when it appeared unless they had been alleviated. And Harry was back at the beginning.

In.

Out.

What if there was something larger at work, like a ritual? That made sense. The girls wouldn't have to be present for that. If a ritual had been performed to find girls that fit certain criteria then the mark would have appeared and they would have been none the wiser until they finally noticed the mark. It was perfectly plausible the Voldemort had found such a ritual and performed it. The Death Eaters would know where to look to confirm that their targets were in fact the girl they were meant to take. But this begged the question of how the Death Eaters were locating each girl. The answer was likely some sort of enhanced locater spell.

In.

Out.

So why these girls? What made the so special to Voldemort. What was it that they possessed that he needed from them? This was the crux of the problem. Did they pose some sort of threat to him? Unlikely. Given what Harry knew of Voldemort, if these girls were indeed a serious threat to him, he wouldn't likely trust his followers to find the girls. Unless of course he was too weak to seek them out himself. After all Dumbledore had died from the wounds he'd sustained fighting Voldemort.

So maybe these girls had something he wanted. But what could that be? Harry knew that Voldemort was an extremely powerful wizard. So what could he possibly want? To rue Britain? Harry didn't think the girls held the key to that pipe dream. What was it that Voldemort wanted more than anything that he couldn't gain through terror, murder, coercion, and destruction. What was it that he desired more than anything?

Infamy?

No, he had that in spades. People were still afraid to say his name.

Power?

No. He had that, through years of study and who knows what else he had done. Harry wouldn't imagine there were any moral limits on a wizard willing to split their soul half a dozen times. Sirius had said that as far as power was concerned, only Dumbledore could match him, though the old mage's skill may have offset the 50 years he had on Riddle. With Dumbledore dead, power was unlikely to be his goal. Then what did he want?

Mass genocide?

Okay, now this was getting ridiculous. Harry was beginning to feel like even his meditation was going to fail him. What good could anyone gain from mass genocide? If you killed everyone, you'd have no one to rule.

And then something tugged at his mind. The Death Eaters were hunting these girls for him. He was too weak to find these girls himself. Dumbledore had died from the wounds he'd suffered at Voldemort's hands, and it was likely that Voldemort was gravely injured as well, maybe so badly that he could not recover without...

"Above all else, Lord Voldemort fears the unknown, which is exactly what awaits us all in death."

That had been what Albus Dumbledore had told Harry three years ago. That night when Harry had learned everything. The night that it had been discovered that a piece of Voldemort was inside of Harry.

"He's trying to cheat death again." Harry said opening his eyes suddenly. In an instant he was on his feet and leaving the room, intent on checking out something in his study.

Harry didn't know how, but these girls held something that would very likely prolong Voldemort's life. The horcruxes were all gone, Dumbledore and Master Kai had seen to that. There was nothing keeping Voldemort here, he was mortal. He was dying, just like Dumbledore had, and he was trying to keep Death at bay. The girls were they key.

"And he's already managed to kill some of them." He slipped into the room that was now covered with photos, notes and newspaper clippings. He went to his right and began searching the wall until he came across an article. He went to a small table and took a pin and a spool of red twine. He tacked the pin to the article and then the string, before looking for another article, which he found a moment later.

Two girls found in different places, both naked and covered in strange markings. Two girls, and rumor had it there was a third that the Aurors weren't talking about. Three girls killed, and three more attacked and nearly taken. Six. Voldemort had created six Horcruxes originally. Harry had inadvertently become the seventh. Seven was one of the strongest magical numbers… except thirteen.

That meant there were either seven of thirteen marked girls, and Voldemort was going to kill them all to gain his immortality.

But why these girls specifically? He was looking for something very specific. That's why they had been marked. There was something special about them. Maybe they were the most powerful girls in their age group? Maybe they had something in common that bonded them. Maybe they were part of Voldemort's favorite dance troupe.

Harry let out a growl of frustration. He was no closer to solving this riddle than he'd been an hour ago.

Well that wasn't true. He was now certain that he knew why Voldemort wanted the girls. But he needed to be sure. He needed an ally to confirm that the dead girls also bore the mark. He needed to know if they were indeed connected to all of this.

Harry sighed and turned to head to his armory. Tonight was going to be very interesting.

* * *

Appearing on the roof of the Monico building with a quiet pop, Tonks immediately scanned for threats. The location was normally supposed to be inaccessible to Muggles, which made it an excellent secret meeting place. The giant neon signs that made the location an icon at Piccadilly Circus also served to give unpredictable lighting conditions as one or another sign would change colors or intensity - or both.

The wind cut across the heights and the Auror shivered from the bitter cold. She noted many large shapes on the roof, likely cooling machinery, which cast deep shadows away from the strange, colorful backdrop. She carefully worked her way over to cover, blending into the shadows herself. Even her hair color was muted for this mission, a dusky charcoal color that blended perfectly into the shadows around her.

There were a lot of places someone could hide and lay in wait until she showed up. That's why she had scanned the site from nearby rooftops for the last twenty minutes. It also gave her a short distance and line of sight to her destination, all of which allowed for her quiet pop when she apparated over. Despite all of her caution, she still felt exposed.

"This is stupid, I should get Kingsley." She peered into the gloom, scowling at the sudden, unpredictable, bright flashes of light. "This is so stupid. This is how stupid people get killed."

Everything about her present situation screamed that this was a trap. And yet, here she was, spinning slowly with her wand raised, ready to destroy anyone who popped out at her. She might have been stupid in coming here alone, but she wasn't a pushover, and whoever planned on killing her wasn't going to have it easy.

It had started with a note. A blank envelope had shown up on her desk, dropped off by a ordinary barn owl. The Owl had waited until she had been alone, dropped the note and flew away. There was nothing remarkable about the note. Nothing special about the parchment either. There was no sign of charms or curses on, or within the envelope. She had checked it thoroughly before she had even touched it.

The message was simple. Please come to the Monico building at eight pm. Come alone. I have questions, and I have answers. And it had been signed… a friend.

It had been the questions and answers that had intrigued her so much. What questions? What answers? Tonks felt compelled to come. Which then led to her checking herself for compulsions charms of which there were none. Whoever it was that wanted to meet wanted to help her, but also needed her help. It had been far to intriguing.

And so here she was. Moving from shadow to shadow. Eyes straining, senses alert for any noise or movement, looking for any signs of a trap.

When she had searched the whole roof and found nothing, she went to the edge and peered down at the bustling crowd. It was very cold tonight, and the people below were bundled up as they went to dinner, or shopped, or just visited with friends or maybe family. Part of Tonks' heart gave a small pang of guilt. She hadn't spoken to her own parents in a couple of years.

Well, that wasn't accurate. She'd received a few notes from her father to check up on her, and keep her appraised of the situation at home, but she hadn't written back. A fact that filled her with deep shame when she allowed herself to think about it.

Tonks and her mother had had a sort of falling out due largely to the fact that Tonks wanted to be an Auror. Tonks' father had been supportive, but her mother hadn't. She was worried. Scared that her daughter, her only child, could be hurt or killed. Especially given that Voldemort had risen from the dead.

There had been an argument, and things were said that couldn't be taken back. Tonks hated herself when she thought about that night. She wished that she could just swallow her damned pride and apologize. She missed her parents deeply, and especially now that she had a legitimate boyfriend in bill Weasley, she wanted to share that with them. She wanted to have dinners with her parents the way she and Bill would have dinner at the Weasley home.

"Someday." Tonks whispered to herself.

She turned quickly back to surveying the roof, mentally kicking herself for becoming so distracted. The young Auror was not a fool, she had arrived quite early, scanning the area for magical signatures before arriving on the roof itself. She had carefully searched the rooftop's many dark recesses for anyone laying in wait. Yet, despite all of her preparation, her 'told you so voice' - Moody's voice - was proven correct.

"Auror Tonks." Came a voice from her left. Actually it sounded like several voices.

Moody's voice had been right, it was a trap.

Tonks spun around faster than she had ever moved before, and remarkably kept her balance, which was quite good, considering how close to the edge of the roof she had been standing. She tried not to worry too much about her tendency to be a klutz, instead focusing on her training, letting her instincts guide her wand hand. She stared down her wand tip at the chest of the closest attacker, someone in a black hood and dark dragon hide armor.

The young Auror was conflicted. While she was proud that she had reacted so competently, she was cursing herself for getting caught off guard - even though she could have sworn the roof was clear. Setting her frustrations aside, she silently snapped off a disarming charm followed by a pair of stunners in a smooth, oft-practiced combination. The last two spells tightly bracketed her target as Moody had taught her, so that when the black clad figure tried to dodge he'd step into one of the stunners.

But her spells never made contact. Tonks gasped when the figure in black raised a hand and a brilliant electric blue shield formed and actually absorbed her spells. They didn't bounce off. They were ABSORBED! She'd never seen that in her life.

However, before she could begin to comprehend it, her wand arm gave a jerk, and she watched helplessly as her wand sailed into the hand of her attacker. She only just realized that he not only held no wand, but that he also hadn't uttered a word. Yet there he was slipping her wand into his armor as if it had always belonged to him. She felt like a fool, even worse than her first lessons with Mad-Eye, and that made her furious.

She had no other choice then.

With a cry of unbridled rage, Tonks lunged at the black clad figure and attacked with a combination of kicks and strikes that had always taken down perps in the past; they were always so shocked that a girl would hit them.

He blocked every attempt, and backed away from her. Tonks pressed her attack, but the hooded figure kept her back with almost no effort. Despite her best moves, none of her kicks or punches was making contact. The hood simply dodged and danced just out of her reach. Never once did her opponent try and fight back.

"Auror Tonks, I'm not here to fight you." The choir of voices said almost pleadingly.

"You're not about to fucking kill me, you psycho!" Tonks shouted, readying herself for another barrage.

"I have no intention of attempting such a thing. I want to help you!" The choir said, and Tonks was brought up short. It suddenly occurred to the Auror that this man had not made one threatening move. Could he really just want to talk to her? She was breathing heavily, but she stepped back from him, eyeing him suspiciously.

He kept his hands up, ready in case she attempted another attack, though he did take another two steps back from her.

"Innocent girls are being killed. I need you to help me put an end to it." The choir said as he lowered one hand and retrieved Tonks' wand from his armor, offering it back to her in a sign of peace. Tonks slowly and hesitantly reached out, and then snatched it away. She kept her wand at her side, ready, but not aiming at him... for now.

"Why don't we start with your name then." Tonks said, eyeing him suspiciously. She took a moment to size up the hooded man. Tonks had enough experience with the opposite sex to recognize the male form, even with him staying in the shadows as much as possible. He was slim, though she could tell from the way his leather armor hugged his arms that he was well muscled. She figured his armor must have had warming charms on it. She also couldn't help feel a bit impressed by another part of his anatomy. The arms weren't the only part of his armor that were tight.

"I'm a friend." He replied with the melodic chorus, ignoring her request. "The Death Eaters are hunting girls who bear a special mark on their left sides. This mark."

He reached inside his armor and pulled out a piece of parchment, which he offered to her. Tonks took it and gaped. There was a drawing of an oval with an off center cross. The mark that had been on each victim as well as Hannah Abbott, Lisa Turpin, and Mandy Brocklehurst.

"How do you know about this?" Tonks asked incredulously.

"One of the girls revealed it to me following an attack that I stopped." The hooded man said.

"And you think that the Death Eaters are trying to kidnap these girls for a wizard who's dead?" Tonks challenged.

"If Voldemort had truly died, Albus Dumbledore would never have sent for me." The hooded figure said grimly.

"So now I'm supposed to believe that you knew Dumbledore?" Tonks said disbelievingly.

"I never knew him. In fact we only ever spoke twice." The hooded man shook his head sadly. "But it's because of him that I'm alive, and why I'm here now, asking for your help."

"You're going to need to explain yourself a little better." Tonks replied.

"Another time perhaps." The chorus replied.

"Okay, okay, then answer this: Why do you need me?" Tonks asked sullenly.

"I need an Auror who can help me get information on Death Eaters, and more importantly for now… information on the three girls who were found. Did they have that mark on their bodies? Specifically on their left ribs just beside their breast?"

"I can't discuss an on-going investigation." Tonks said, though she kept hearing Alastor Moody's voice telling her to trust her gut again. And right now her gut was telling her that this stranger truly wanted to help. She couldn't say for certain why, though the mention of Dumbledore had definitely given her pause.

"I should be arresting you, you've killed people." She said, her tone growing colder. "Madame Bones wants you taken in by any means."

"I won't deny that I have killed, and I won't try to convince you that I won't kill again." The chorus said earnestly. "I take no pleasure in it, but those I kill have escaped justice in one form or another, and they've all gone on to hurt or kill again and again. They have kept people in fear for too long, and it's time for someone to make them afraid."

"As much as I may agree with you, I took an oath." Tonks argued, though it tasted sour on her lips. "I'm sworn to protect…"

"And that's all I'm asking you to do." He said quickly. He reached into a pocket again and then held something out to her. Tonks saw what appeared to be a coin in his gloved hand. It was small, smaller than a knut, but was gold with a square cut into the center. There were markings on it that Tonks thought could have been Chinese.

"Tap it with your wand and think of the place and time you'd like to meet, and I will come. Think about it. I can help you end the war for good, if you help me by giving me the information I need. More innocent people will die if we don't work together. Neither of us want that."

Tonks took the coin and gave him a questioning look.

"How do I know I can trust you?" she asked.

The hooded man stepped backwards towards the edge of the roof.

"You don't." He replied. "But I'm placing my faith in you."

Tonks watched him, and then suddenly started to cry out a warning as he stepped off the roof. She ran to the edge and looked down to the street to find he had disappeared. He must have disapparated because the people below were going about their lives as if nothing had changed. There was no body splayed out on the cement, he was just gone.

She stared in wonder at the coin he had given her. Clutching it in her palm, Tonks' mind raced with questions. She had to find out more about the situation before she decided whether or not to help a vigilante. Tonks could only think of two people who might have answers. One of them she would need to get permission to speak to, but the other… well, hopefully he wouldn't freak out too much from an unexpected late night visit.

* * *

Neville Longbottom stepped off the plane and began to the trek out of Heathrow Airport. He had come to really hate traveling as a muggle. It was slow and tedious, and people were really annoying. However, it had been necessary. Or at least his grandmother had said it had been. And Neville never argued with his grandmother.

He had no need to pick up any luggage as his bags were shrunken and in his coat pocket. Neville made his way through the concourse, where travelers were reuniting with friends and family, and outside, past a line of taxis and hired cars.

The young man smiled softly to himself as he walked towards the parking lots where a secret apparition point was set up. Neville, like many wizards, often found the need to travel incognito, and places like this were set up all over the world. It wasn't too different from the secret barrier in King's Cross Station.

He was happy to be home. He hadn't expected to be able to come home so soon, but a letter from his grandmother had managed to find him and the contents of the letter told him that his search was in vain. The answers they sought might have returned to England shortly after his journey had begun.

Reaching his destination, he gave a quick look around to make sure he wasn't being observed, spun and disappeared with a pop that was hidden by the roar of a jetliner taking to the sky.

Neville appeared in the foyer of Longbottom Manor, and was immediately greeted by a small creature with bat-like ears, and large, violet eyes.

"Master Neville is returned!" the creature squeaked.

"It's good to see you, Sam." Neville greeted the House Elf, who held out his hands, waiting for Neville to hand over his luggage. "Where is Gran?"

"Mistress awaits you in the study. She is most anxious to speak with you." Sam said, his face glowing with delight.

Neville handed over his luggage and Sam disappeared as Neville made his way to the study. There he found his grandmother, a strong looking woman with steel gray hair and dark, piercing eyes sitting at a large, mahogany desk, reading a letter.

"Gran?"

"Neville!" Augusta Longbottom rose with a smile on her face. She crossed the room and embraced her grandson warmly, pulling back to look him over. "You look well. Travel agrees with you."

"Some of it." Neville smiled. "Though I think I could do without airplanes. They're too cramped and they smell weird."

"Where did Samson find you?" Augusta asked, going back to her chair as Neville took a seat across from her. The matron called for another house elf, Delilah, who popped into and was politely ordered to bring tea. When the elf disappeared again, Augusta turned back to her grandson.

"I was in Eastern Europe, Czechoslovakia, I think, heading East on another lead. I was thinking about heading to South Africa after that. There was rumor that they had been there, but I couldn't confirm it. I suppose none of that matters now?" Neville sighed.

"I've been trying for three months to get you home." Augusta said, as she folded her hands in her lap. Delilah returned with a tea tray and some small sandwiches. Neville thanked the elf and took a sandwich.

"Your letter said they had returned? When did it happen?" Neville asked.

"Well, only Black returned, publicly at least. He's taken his family seat on the Wizengamot, and he's already making waves. There's been talk about revoking his seat, but you know how long that process would take. But what's more interesting is this."

Augusta handed over an old copy of The Daily Prophet, which Neville scanned. Neville skipped the articles about the Chudley Cannons and another about the goblins threatening to raise interest rates on loans. He found a circled section below an ad for Madam Malkin's.

Relative of High Ranking Ministry Official Saved by Vigilante

 _Susan Bones, niece of the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones, was rescued by a hooded hero last Friday night. She and a friend, Hannah Abbott, were attacked by masked assailants, who sources claim could have been Death Eaters. While there has been no official statement from the Aurors or the Ministry, sources claim that the girls were set upon by Death Eater copycats, and rescued by a man in black who was then chased away by Aurors. The Aurors have been very tight lipped about this, and another incident which involved the murder of Albert Runcorn. Runcorn, 38, was found with the Dark Mark, leading to questions about whether or not he had been a true Death Eater during He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's second rise, before his fatal duel with Albus Dumbledore. Neither Miss Bones nor Miss Abbott have been available for remarks as they have been placed under Auror protection._

"A vigilante?" Neville looked up.

"There are more stories, all buried within the paper. I've spoken to Templeton Redmane, who seems to be the only one reporting on this. He's facing a lot of criticism, and he even showed me some of the stories he wrote that were rejected by Peter Pettigrew, the Prophet's Editor." Augusta explained.

"It could be a coincidence." Neville said, though he didn't believe in coincidences.

"It could, but I don't think so, and I know you don't either." Augusta smiled. "Sirius Black returning to England so soon after Dumbledore's death, and the sudden appearance of this vigilante stopping Death Eaters who tried to abduct young girls. You-Know-Who is not as dead as we were told, and Harry Potter has returned. And you know what that means."

"I do." Neville nodded, a small smile playing across his lips. "Revenge will be ours."

* * *

"So let me see if I understand this." Alastor Moody said, shuffling from the stove to the table with two steaming mugs of tea, one of which he passed to his guest with a wry smirk on his grizzled face.

"You get an anonymous note asking you to meet someone at a location of their choosing and you don't tell your partner or anyone else for that matter and you just…go?" Moody said sitting down.

"I told you there was nothing to tell me that it was a trap." Tonks argued.

"And yet everything inside you was telling you it was." Moody reminded his protégé of what she had told him earlier.

"Can we just get past what I did wrong and talk about what I should do going forward?" Tonks pleaded. Moody gave a soft chuckle as he sipped his tea and then nodded.

"Alright, alright." The old Auror chuckled some more. "So this guy in the hood needs information to stop the Dark Wanker who he says is still alive and kicking. He also says that the reason Death Eaters are abducting these girls is for Voldemort.

"That was the gist of it. He also said Dumbledore sent for him." Tonks added.

"Yeah." Moody nodded looked pensive for a moment before he fixed Tonks with a hard stare with both of his mismatched eyes.

"As it turns out, I may know a thing or two about this." Moody sighed.

"WHAT?" Tonks shrieked. "Mad-Eye, why didn't you say something? Why didn't you tell us? Who is he? Why is he here? What the fuck is going on?"

"Calm down lass." Moody said. "I couldn't say anything. I made a promise to Dumbledore on his death bed for Merlin's sake. I don't know who he is, but I do know that he wasn't pulling your chain either. Voldemort is alive somewhere. If he were truly gone, the Death Eaters would have crawled into hiding. The fact that they've been seen numerous times is proof that Voldemort is still leading them."

"So this guy in he hood is going to stop them how?" Tonks wondered.

Moody only shrugged. "I don't know, and he didn't say."

"You've fucking talked to him?" Tonks nearly fell out of her chair with the impact of this revelation.

"He paid me a visit not too far back." Moody stated. "Wanted some information. Like I said, Dumbledore let me know that someone was coming to end all this once and for all. Little bastard bested me in my own home, and made it through my wards."

"Morgana's tits, Mad-Eye!" Tonks shouted in disbelief. "Who the hell is this guy? If he can get through your wards, what's stopping him from taking out the Minister, or anyone else he wants? This guy… we need to take him down. He's fucking dangerous."

"And yet, he didn't do any of that." Moody pointed out. "He asked you for help. From what I heard, he tried to show he was on our side in Diagon Alley… what was it… three weeks ago? Managed not only to evade capture, but made you lot look like bunch of first years who didn't know which way to point their wands. He could have killed me right in my own living room, but he didn't. Just knocked me on my ass so I would stop fighting and listen to him. Same as he did to you tonight."

"Minus knocking me on my ass." Tonks clarified.

"Respects a lady I guess." Moody sniggered. "The point is that he isn't here to just kill blindly. He has an agenda and that agenda seems to be the same as yours. Stop Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Something he clearly doesn't think he can do without your help. So the question here Nymphadora, is whether or not you want the same thing as he does."

"How do I know I can trust him?" Tonks asked after a long pause.

"How does he know he can trust you?" Moody suggested. "For all he knows, you could be back at Auror Headquarters planning his capture right now."

"Said he was putting his faith in me." Tonks remembered. "And then he stepped off that roof like it was nothing. Vanished into thin air without so much as a pop."

"Yeah… he pulled something similar here. Scared the piss outta me for sure. Never seen anyone disapparate without making some kind of sound."

"You think I should help him." Tonks asked.

"I think that all you Aurors might do good by leaving this guy to his crusade." Moody sighed. "You lot did good in this last war, but you didn't manage to end it. Even with Dumbledore helping you couldn't end it, and Voldemort is still out there, rebuilding his forces for another attempt. He had a contingency plan in place, and now he's putting that plan into motion, and we don't know when he'll strike or how hard. We can't prepare for it because we don't know what he's doing. But this guy in the hood seems at least to have some kind of clue. Dumbledore had a contingency plan to counter Voldemort, and this guy seems to be it. I say if we have any sort of hope of true peace… we need to put our faith in this hood."

Tonks nodded thoughtfully. Moody had made a really good point. And even if she couldn't have faith in the guy in the hood… she could have faith that Dumbledore knew what he was doing in calling this guy to finish what he couldn't.

She only hoped that she wouldn't regret it.


	10. Chapter 10

10\. Be pretty cool to be able to fight without a wand

Winter was beginning to show herself to shoppers in London. A light snow was falling gently and the sun was nearly gone as lamps began to shine in the growing darkness. Yet, despite the cold, people were out in droves. And for one particular woman, this was advantageous, because it meant she would likely go completely unnoticed.

Nineteen year old Pansy Parkinson, recent graduate of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the hood on her cloak a little bit to hide her face better. She was a very attractive young woman with midnight black hair, big bright blue eyes, and soft pouty pink lips. Normally a girl like that wouldn't mind being noticed, but pansy was doing everything within her power to hide herself.

She hefted the sack in her arms to position it better as she slipped through the throng of witches and wizards out shopping tonight. She really hadn't wanted to go into Knockturn Alley, but it was the only place that she knew of where she could get Erumpent horn, and she had really needed the volatile substance. She had paid far too much for it she was certain, but her eventual freedom was priceless in her opinion.

Pansy let out a small sigh of relief when she joined the bustling shopping crowds of Diagon Alley. It was nearing dinner time, and the crowds were at their peak for the day. She'd be hard to follow thanks to the mass of people who flooded the alley at this time of day. And thanks to her growing paranoia, she was certain there was someone right now watching her every move.

"Haven't I suffered enough?" She asked herself for what she was sure the one hundred millionth time.

She pushed all other thoughts out of her mind for now. She had to escape the alley with her packages as soon as possible. She also had to do so without appearing that she was trying to evade anyone who may or may not be following her.

Her mistake had been not paying attention to where she was going. With her eyes on the ground she was very nearly knocked to the ground when she collided with someone rather sturdy. All she could think of was how catastrophic things were about to become when she felt a hand grab her arm and steady her. She hadn't fallen, and even better, the hand that had grabbed her released her as soon as she was steady on her feet again.

All at once Pansy felt anger boil within her, and she was set to curse out whomever had nearly killed her and who knew how many others. And then she looked up into dark brown eyes. Eyes that had once haunted her dreams.

Her heart leapt into her throat as she saw Neville Longbottom smile apologetically at her.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"It's alright." Pansy stammered as she felt her face heating up. "Excuse me."

Pansy almost sprinted away, but managed to control herself. She hadn't laid eyes on Neville Longbottom since they had both graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry back in June. In the last few months, he had somehow become more attractive than she had thought he had been in school, though she wasn't sure how that could have been possible. He looked leaner than she remembered, and his hair had a sort of devil may care style happening. As if he'd ridden a broom to the shopping district, and hadn't bothered to comb it again.

She had thought she had gotten over her crush on him, or at least buried her feelings so deep as to never be uncovered ever again. And yet, when she had come face to face with her school girl crush, all those feelings and nearly erupted out of her chest. She was finding it difficult to breathe as she glanced over her shoulder to catch one last glimpse of him only to find he was already lost among the hundreds of late shoppers.

For the briefest of moments Pansy allowed herself to imagine having the freedom she had been denied as a girl. The very freedom she was working on securing for herself now. Perhaps, if she managed to succeed, she would write to Neville, and tell him all the things she had locked inside for so long. And maybe he would respond in kind. And perhaps after so much pain in her life, she might find true happiness.

Pansy scoffed at the thought. She hadn't been brave enough to talk to Neville while they had been in school. How could she even think she'd be brave enough to write him a letter now. Besides, the last she had heard, Neville was with that insufferable Hannah Abbott. She was a bubble headed party girl, and Pansy felt Neville deserved a girl with more substance.

But she didn't have time to think about that. She had to get home before someone else bumped into her, and made the Erumpent horn slivers explode and take out half the shopping district. Thoughts of her school crush would just have to wait until she was out of danger, and frankly, Pansy had no idea if that was ever going to happen.

* * *

Neville watched the woman slip past him, a vague feeling of recognition in his mind. Once she was gone however, he let it drop and continued his stroll down Diagon Alley. He wasn't here for anything in particular, other than to see how things had grown in the time since Voldemort's second downfall. Though he wasn't convinced the Dark Wizard was truly vanquished, it was nice to see commerce returning again. The last time he had been here had been just before his sixth year at Hogwarts, and it had been very nearly deserted. He had gotten his school supplies for his seventh year all by Owl Order. But now it was almost bursting with people, and it made Neville smile slightly.

As he strolled, and glanced in the shop windows, he felt a small bit of sadness. During his travels abroad, he'd gone to more than a few magical shopping districts that had truly astounded him. Not only in the variety of wares that had been offered, but at how much more modern they had been. Neville's Grandmother had often commented on how stuck magical Britain was, but he hadn't really understood it until he'd seen it for himself. Change and innovation were not things that British magicals really openly embraced. Not like America, or China. Even most of Europe seemed more enlightened in many ways.

Still, this was his home, and he loved it, warts and all.

As he wandered about, stopping in to old favorites like Quality Quidditch Supplies, and Madam Malkin's, Neville couldn't help but remember past visits to Diagon Alley with old school friends. He wondered where those friends were now, and if he might run into a friendly face tonight. His grandmother had done her best to get him up to speed since his return, but he wanted to know more.

He hadn't kept in touch with any of his school friends since graduating, and had been traveling since the day he left Hogwarts, hunting for any clue as to the whereabouts of Harry Potter, the boy who the world believed dead. Neville had been brought up to believe that the last Potter wasn't dead, but actually in hiding. His Grandmother had been an ally to the Potters, as had Neville's parents. Augusta Longbottom believed that Sirius Black had not been the one to betray to Potters, and had taken Harry after his parents had been killed, and fled England, though she never had anything to support this theory.

When Neville had questioned her theory though, Augusta had claimed that Harry had not been buried with his parents like most people believed. She had also claimed that she had learned from a very reliable source that Potter had been alive that fateful Halloween night after the Potter home had been destroyed and the Dark Wizard known as Voldemort had been vanquished. However, Neville's grandmother claimed that she believed that source had later been obliviated to keep the truth hidden and that she was lucky that no one knew that she knew.

Augusta had wanted Neville to be the one to find Potter and Black, and bring them back to England, especially when Voldemort had risen from the dead when Neville had finished his fourth year at Hogwarts. She had told Neville that only Harry potter would be able to end Voldemort once and for all. When Neville asked her why, Augusta said that she believed that it was his destiny, and that was why he was not dead like the world believed. She had also said that it was Neville's destiny to return Harry Potter to his home, and that the two were linked.

But on this matter, Augusta Longbottom was always silent. Neville had asked too many times to count, but his grandmother was never moved to explain herself. The only hint he ever got was that it was the reason Neville's parents had died while they had protected him when he was a baby.

Neville had always been curious about this so called connection to Potter, and had asked his Uncle Algie, who he had believed was the smartest man he'd ever known, even after attending Hogwarts under Albus Dumbledore. Algie however had also refused to explain things to Neville. Algie would only ever say that it wasn't his place to speak on the matter. Neville later learned that he had taken the Unbreakable Vow to remain silent.

And so it left only one option. Find Potter and learn the reason why his parents had died, and what connected Neville to Harry.

But Neville had suffered for his belief in his Grandmother. He'd been ostracized in school whenever the matter came up.

"How could an infant defeat a powerful dark wizard?"

"Where could he have gone where the Aurors couldn't find him?"

"How could we not know if he was really alive? He was buried with his parents!"

He'd endure these questions and so many more and he had never been able to adequately answer any of them. He'd been called names, and even physically hurt over his beliefs. And yet his belief had never wavered. Well, his belief in his grandmother. His own belief in Potter's well-being had gone from true unwavering to extremely skeptical over the years.

But then he began to discover clues to the truth when he'd left England right after graduation. He'd agreed to go on the trip that was to be fully funded by his Grandmother because it meant a real chance to see the world. Something he'd wanted to do ever since the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and meeting students from France and Bulgaria. His original intent was to spend time being young and free while abroad, and maybe ask a few questions if the topic ever came up.

But in his first stop in France, he'd gotten his first clue, and it began to look as if his Grandmother had been right all along.

It had been while he'd been in Calias. He'd been in a pub, and overheard a conversation about the trouble in Britain which had just ended with Dumbledore facing Voldemort. The patrons raised their glasses to Dumbledore, and thanked him for keeping Voldemort out of France and Europe as a whole. And then, one of the men had reflected on Sirius Black and when he'd been there sixteen years earlier, and how the man had gotten extremely drunk and had also praised Dumbledore.

Neville had questioned the men, and bought them more drinks, and had learned that Black had left for Belgium three nights later. And so it had begun.

Neville had followed Sirius black's trail through Belgium, The Netherlands, and into Norway before turning back and going into Germany, Eastern Europe and Russia. North America had turned out to be the most fruitful lead. It was there that he had learned that not only had Black been in and around Salem Massachusetts, but he'd been seen often with a young boy. The trail had led to Brazil, and then Egypt and Sudan and Kenya. He had then found himself back in Eastern Europe with plans to head to Asia when his Grandmother had summoned him home.

Neville had never discovered what Black had been doing while in any of the places he'd been, and for the most part hardly anyone could remember him, except for the women. Black had left quite an impression on more than a few ladies. Some good… some not so much. The only thing they had all agreed on was that Black had been extremely mysterious and secretive.

Neville was pulled from his reflections as he approached a very garish storefront. He stared in wide eyed wonder as he'd only ever heard about this store as it had been dreamed of. But here it was fully realized. Weasley Wizarding Wheezes.

Neville's smile nearly split his face as he all but sprinted inside.

The Weasley twins, Fred and George, had been two years ahead of Neville in school, and had been a never ceasing source of frivolity. This talent to bring about hilarity had been much appreciated when Voldemort had returned from the dead in Neville's fifth year. But the twins were also well known for their contributions to the war. They'd gained major fame for their shield hats and cloaks. Neville had heard that the twins had been contracted by the Ministry to develop and provide other offensive and defensive tools for the war.

The shop was overflowing with patrons, and Neville grinned as he took it all in. There were so many things to look at that it actually started to hurt Neville's brain. There were brilliant displays, and dozens of advertisements for products, and everywhere there were smiling and laughing faces.

Neville headed for the counter intent on talking to the store's proprietors. If anyone would be able to fill him in on the things he wanted to learn about, it would be Fred and George Weasley.

Neville stopped though when he saw a rack of Shield cloaks. The twins were selling their defensive items to the public now. Neville wondered if they had brokered a deal with the ministry, or if they had come up with something better for the Aurors which allowed the cloaks to be used by the everyday witch or wizard.

There was no sign of either Weasley twin at the moment, but the shop was so full, even the brilliant red hair that was the signature trait for all the Weasley family members, would have been difficult to spot among the many clients. But Neville wasn't completely unlucky as when he did manage to get up to the counter he came face to face with someone who he knew quite well, and might be able to provide him with at least some information.

Tall, lanky with a long nose, and Weasley red hair, Ron Weasley's face lit up when he spotted his former Gryffindor year mate.

"Neville!" Ron smiled brightly. "Good to see ya mate! How ya been?"

"Hey Ron, what are you doing here?" Neville asked. "I thought you were going out for the Chudley Cannons?"

"I did." Ron smiled, though Neville noticed it didn't reach his eyes. "Put on a good showing too, but they're taking their time deciding, I guess. Did you get to travel like you were talking about?"

"I just got back actually. I would've been still abroad, but Gran called me home." Neville said. "How's Ginny?"

Ron's smile darkened a bit, and Neville wanted to laugh. Neville and Ginny had dated for a while back when Ginny was in her third year and Neville in his fourth. They had gotten along rather well for a while, but Ginny broke things off after a few months. She was looking for something more from the guys she dated, and in her words, Neville wasn't it. Though the two had remained very good friends. Much to Ron's displeasure. He was always very protective of his baby sister, even though she was clearly much more capable than Ron appeared to be.

"She's still in school, of course. She and Luna did some traveling this past summer. Mum was going spare about it, but Dad said she was responsible enough to go. Plus, she'd saved all that gold for years." Ron stated, and Neville gave a nod.

"So where'd you get to after school?" Ron asked. "Oh wait, do you have plans for dinner? I just got paid, so if you want we could go to the Leaky Cauldron. There's this girl who works there that I'm trying to get to know. What do you say?"

Neville agreed, and Ron called for a girl named Verity to take over for him. Verity didn't look happy about it, but Ron didn't pay it any mind as he sprinted into the back to grab his cloak. A few moments later, Neville followed a chattering Ron through the crowds to the infamous pub.

"… only temporary really. I only started working there because Mum was so worried about me after the Aurors declined my application. But I didn't really want to catch Dark wizards anyway. I mean it isn't all danger and intrigue. There's loads of paperwork you have to keep up with. I don't want to spend my life behind a desk. And I only applied so mum would stop nagging me, you know? The twins weren't happy about hiring me either, and they made me work a lot at first, but then they started backing off. They told Dad it was because I kept breaking things, and taking long lunches and stuff, but I think they did it because Mum said they were working me too hard" Ron was saying over his shoulder. Neville just gave a noise that he was listening.

Neville had learned a long time ago that Ron Weasley was one of the laziest wizards ever. How he had graduated Hogwarts with the rest of the class was still stunning. It was well known that Ron had talent, and could be great if he applied himself. He was just not interested in hard work. If Neville had to guess, he believed that Ron was working in his brothers' shop because his parents had forced him upon them.

The two young men found their way to the Leaky Cauldron, and Ron deflated a bit when he saw that the girl he was sweet on wasn't working. Still, the two got a table and ordered some food.

"Not really surprised she's not here. I think she switched her shift so she could be home before dark. I've heard a lot of people are doing that because their afraid of that vigilante bloke. Have you heard about him?" Ron asked.

"Gran mentioned something about it." Neville remarked. Ron gave a small shudder.

"They say he's been seen most in Diagon Alley. Fred reckons he's a vampire because all the people he's killed have been found drained of blood. George thinks it might be Snape getting back at his former Death Eater buddies for killing Dumbledore. I saw Seamus and Dean last week, and they think it's just some crazy idiot trying to get himself killed. Dean says it's someone who read too many muggle comic books." Ron said.

"I heard he saved a couple of witches here just the other night." Neville mentioned. Ron shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah I saw the paper too. But I also heard he attacked them and the Aurors stopped him, and he might be the one actually killing those other girls and tattooing them. I don't know, but it's scary. I saw in the paper that he attacked Hermione Granger. Why anyone would go after her is beyond me." Ron chuckled. Neville refrained from replying. He wanted to stay away from an hour long tirade of why Hermione Granger was a horribly sad person. Especially given that Neville liked Hermione. She'd always been nice to him in school.

"Do you know who was attacked in Diagon Alley?" Neville pressed. Ron only shrugged.

"They didn't release the names, but I heard that it was Susan Bones." Ron said as he waved down the pub's owner so they could order.

"Bill is dating an Auror. She's weird. Got pink hair. Anyway, she was round for dinner last week, and Dad asked about the investigation on the dead girls, and about something that had happened, and Tonks, that's the Auror, she said that Susan's name was being kept out of the papers because Madam Bones put a hush order on it."

"Has anyone seen the so-called vigilante? Other than Aurors I mean?" Neville asked as their food arrived.

Ron shrugged.

"I've heard people say they'd seen him, but I don't know if they're telling the truth or not. Tonks says she saw him in Diagon Alley and that he was really fast. Said he dresses in dragonhide and can use magic without a wand. Dad thinks he might have used a really short wand so it looked like he was doing magic without one, but Tonks says his hands were open. I think she's barking. Even Dumbledore couldn't do wandless magic, right?" Ron asked, looking disbelievingly at what he'd just told Neville.

"Be pretty cool to be able to fight without a wand." Neville said thoughtfully.

"No kidding." Ron agreed. "Man if I could do that the Aurors never would have turned me down. Well, that and if Snape hadn't been such a great ass and actually taught us potions. I still am shocked that you kept taking Potions after fifth year. The man lived to torture you." Ron stated. Neville only shrugged.

"As awful as he was, he really helped me to learn how to work under pressure. You know I actually wrote to thank him after we graduated. I've no idea if he got my letter." Neville said. Ron looked surprised by this.

"You think he's still alive?" Ron wondered. Again Neville gave a shrug.

"No idea." He said staring over Ron's shoulder at the door to the Muggle World. It was no secret that the long time potions master of Hogwarts had disappeared shortly after the duel between Voldemort and Dumbledore. A story in the Daily Prophet revealed that Snape had been a spy during both wars, first for Lord Voldemort, and then for Dumbledore. It was believed that Snape had been killed by Voldemort's followers after the great duel.

"I kind of hope that he is." Neville said after a long time.

"Really?" Ron looked surprised. "Not me. I hope if he's still alive he's in serious pain and begging for death. Bastard."

Neville only sat there. Ron wasn't really someone you argued with. It was always waste of time. Ron changed to subject and the two discussed more trivial things, most of them having to do with how unfair Ron's life was. Through it all, Neville was thinking how he would need to reach out to Hermione Granger, and Susan Bones who may have actually seen the vigilante, and might be able to give Neville some clue about where and how to look for him.

* * *

Little did Neville know, Hermione Granger was currently in Diagon Alley along with Tracey Davis. The two girls were bundled up against the cold as they maneuvered through the crowds. Hermione held a folded piece of parchment in her hands where she had written an address that was the destination for Tracey and herself.

"I still say we should have sent a letter." Tracey said, holding onto Hermione's arm so they wouldn't be separated.

"And I told you, given everything it's better if we just go talk to them in person." Hermione argued, though she was smiling softly. "This way."

Hermione led Tracey past Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream parlor and past Quality Quidditch Supplies. They turned into a small nook next to Gambol and Japes where there was a door that led to a lobby and stirs to flats above the store. Hermione led the way to the fourth floor and down the hall to number 417.

Hermione knocked three times and was rewarded with the sound of locks clicking.

"Granger?" Hannah Abbott asked with wide eyed surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to talk to you and Susan.' Hermione explained. She turned and unfolded the parchement in her hand and held it up to show Hannah. "It's about this."

Hannah started to shut the door. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"We have it too." Tracey said quickly. Hannah stopped and stared at them. There was fear in her eyes. Hermione could see it plainly.

"I was attacked too." Hermione said gently. "We both were."

Hannah looked at Hermione and then Tracey for a moment before she stepped back and allowed them entrance. She then closed and locked the door behind them.

"This is really nice." Tracey said looking around the flat. "I wish I could afford a place like this. My place is a shoebox."

"Susan's Aunt helped us out with it. My Parents did too. They wanted us to be close to our jobs and not out in Muggle London like we wanted to be." Hannah said. "Have a seat, I'm going to go get Susan."

Hermione and Tracey took off their coats and sat down. Hermione agreed with Tracey. The flat was quite spacious and comfortable. It was much bigger than her own place, and much more luxurious. The sofa she and Tracey sat on was very comfortable, and Hermione couldn't help imagine curling up on it with a good book.

A few minutes later, Hannah returned followed by Susan Bones who was in a dressing gown, and toweling her long red hair. Hermione could see both girls were still trying to process what had happened to them. She and Tracey had read about another attack in Diagon Alley. No names had been mentioned in the article, but Hermione had noticed Hannah Abbott's face in the picture of the aftermath. She had been in the background, and there was an Auror trying to block her from having her photograph taken, but they hadn't done a great job.

Tracey and Hermione had agreed that it was a good idea to go talk to Hannah and find out if she had been marked as they were, and maybe they could discover why they were being targeted.

"Hannah said you were both attacked." Susan said bluntly.

"We were both attacked just before Halloween by Death Eaters." Hermione said keeping the details vague for now. She didn't think Tracey wanted her personal life out there just yet. For now it was enough that they had both been attacked because of the mark.

"And it was because of the…' Hannah said, pointing awkwardly at her left side. Tracey rolled her eyes and turned, lifting her shirt and bra to reveal her mark. Hannah and Susan both gasped and Hermione nodded when they looked at her.

"For some reason we all have this thing and…" She began.

"I don't." Susan said quickly. "I don't have it. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"You're lucky then." Tracey grimaced.

"The Death Eaters are after us because of this thing." Hermione pushed onward. "We need figure out what it is, and why it showed up out of the blue. Hannah, do you remember when you first noticed the mark?"

"A few months ago, I guess. After we graduated." She said.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Hermione nodded.

"Do you think this is related to those girls who showed up all drained of blood and tattooed?" Susan asked. "My Aunt is really freaked out and she is putting us under Auror protection."

"I think it is." Hermione said grimly. "But like I said, I don't know why."

"So there are probably more of us out there." Hannah said, sitting up a bit. "More girls like us who have this mark."

"There has to be." Tracey agreed. "There have been three girls who have been killed, and there are three of us here now with this mark. It only makes sense that there are others out there, which means we need to try and find them and warn them."

"There's at least one more for sure." Hermione said thoughfully.

"Who?" Susan and Hannah asked. Hermione could only shrug.

"I just know that there's one more out there, and she was attacked somewhere close to Diagon Alley in Muggle London somewhere. We were going to try and find her today, but then we saw the article in the Daily Prophet about what happened to you two, and figured we should come speak to you."

"When you two were attacked… did he come?" Susan asked curiously. "The guy with the bow?"

"I wasn't so lucky." Tracey sighed heavily. "But, I also wasn't attacked by a group. I was attacked by my former boyfriend."

"You were dating a Death Eater?" Hannah asked in shock.

"I didn't know he was at the time." Tracey snapped defensively.

"He did come to help me." Hermione said cutting off a potential awkward situation. "And then he came to see me a few nights ago to ask me about the mark. He knows the Death Eaters are hunting us, and he's the one who told me about the other girl. I think he wants us together."

"Who is he?" Susan asked. "He was so fast, and he took out a bunch of those arseholes by himself before the Aurors arrived. I mean I was really drunk and even I could see how powerful he was."

"Not to mention sexy." Hannah remarked. "He was really working that leather."

"I don't know who he is." Hermione said quickly, remembering why she really didn't like hanging out with most other girls in school. "But I think he's really powerful too. I swear I saw him performing wandless magic."

"Wait, what?" Tracey looked stunned. Susan and Hannah both looked gobsmacked as well. "Are you sure? I mean, wandless magic? Not even Dumbledore could do it. It's like… impossible."

"He conjured a ball of light in his palm, and I didn't see a wand, and I was really looking. Now, it was dark and all, but… I didn't see a wand." Hermione stated.

"So there's a some super powerful guy out there taking out Death Eaters." Hannah said looking troubled. "And he thinks it's a good idea for us to find any other marked girls?"

"That's what it sounds like to me." Tracey nodded.

"Then why are we sitting here?" Susan asked. "I saw what he did. He saved our lives. If he thinks we need to find the others… then we should find the others."

"Hold on there Red.' Tracey held up a hand. "We don't know how to do that, do we? All we know is that there is one other girl who was attacked in muggle London. We don't know who she is, or where she is. We don't even know…"

"We know she's nineteen.' Hermione said suddenly. "I'm nineteen, Tracey you're nineteen. The dead girls were all nineteen…"

"How do you know that?" Susan asked.

"An Auror came down a while ago and asked for the names and addresses of all the girls in magical Britain who were nineteen or about to be." Hermione said with a small triumphant smile.

"I'm nineteen." Hannah nodded.

"And once again I feel left out." Susan lamented. "I won't be nineteen until May."

"Yeah because this is all so thrilling." Hannah rolled her eyes. "Say we do find this other girl, or any others… then what are we supposed to do?"

"That's a good question." Tracey looked to Hermione. "What are we supposed to do now?"

Hermione actually started. She didn't know. She had no answer for anything. And what was worse is she had no indication on where to look for answers. This was an extremely difficult puzzle to solve, especially as she had virtually nothing and no one to help her figure it out.

And then she realized that there was someone who had told her that she wasn't alone, and he might know a bit more. Someone who might be able to give them all some guidance or at least point them in a direction, and she was set to meet him again in a few days.

"Can you lot come to my place Sunday night?" Hermione asked Susan and Hannah. "Around ten or so that night?"

"Why so late?" Tracey asked.

"Because there's someone who might be able to answers some of our questions." Hermione said as she stood up and got her coat. "And I don't think he's a daylight kind of guy."

"What?" Hannah looked puzzled.

"The vigilante." Tracey said her eyes wide. "He's coming to your place, isn't he?"

Hermione nodded and Susan suddenly looked rather intrigued. Tracey on the other hand looked a little unhappy. Hannah got to her feet, wrapping her arms around herself

"Alright." Hannah nodded. "I want to know what's going on and I want it to be over with. Count me in."

"I know I'm not one of you, but Hannah's family." Susan said proudly. "I'm not letting her face this without me."

"Okay." Tracey said following Hermione's lead and getting her coat. "So between now and then, I think it might be a good idea if we get a hold of that list you gave that Auror. Maybe we can find some more of our sisters."

"Agreed." Hermione nodded.

* * *

A short distance away, Lisa Turpin was staring at the front page of the Daily Prophet. According to the article, two girls had been attacked by the Death Eaters. The article stated that the girls were rescued by Aurors, but Lisa felt as if there was more to the story. She'd read the article three times now, and it felt like things were being omitted.

According to the article, the girls had been attacked by no less than six Death Eaters. Lisa remembered being attacked by just two, and not being able to fight them that well. Now Lisa didn't know who it was that was attacked because the article didn't mention the victim's anywhere, but it did say the girls were both recent graduates of Hogwarts. "Lisa could only think of maybe three witches who she thought would be more than capable of fighting off Death Eaters until Aurors could arrive… if someone was able to summon them. And one of those girls had already been attacked a month earlier.

She was sure that someone had intervened before the Aurors, and the Prophet was keeping it quiet. In fact, Lisa was positive that the paper was doing its damnedest not to mention the man in black at all.

A series of knocks on her door broke her out of her thoughts and Lisa went to open the door for Mandy who was supposed to be bringing dinner. The two had been getting together as often as they could to try and discover the origin of the mark they both bore on the left sides. So far they only thing that they seemed to agree on was that the mark was that of a coven.

Mandy had learned that ages ago, witches who gathered in covens would identify each other by a mark. Sometimes this was a mark of power that would unite them. A way to channel their magic through one another.

The problem was that the witches agreed on the mark and would tattoo it themselves. The marks that they both bore had just appeared.

"Hey, sorry it took so long. There was a really long line." Mandy said as Lisa opened the door.

"It's fine, I was just reading the paper." Lisa replied.

"I got a supreme, and then just a veggie and cheese." Mandy said as she set the two large pizza boxes on the table right on top of the Daily Prophet. "And I got some soda."

"Someone was attacked the other night in Diagon Alley, and I think it was for the same reason that I was." Lisa said and Mandy stopped and stared at her best friend. "There's something bigger going on here Mandy, and we're right in the center of it. I think it's only a matter of time before I'm attacked again… or someone comes for you."

"What else can we do?" Mandy asked looking very worried.

"Well for starters, we need to stay together as much as we can. When we're not at our jobs, we need to watch out for each other. You could have been taken while you were getting the pizza. It was stupid for you to go by yourself, and stupid of me not to go with you. We can't make stupid mistakes like that." Lisa said as she ran her hands through her honey blonde hair. "And I think we need to try and find the other girls who were attacked."

"The paper didn't say who it was." Mandy pointed out.

"No it didn't.' Lisa greed. "But we know someone who was attacked a month ago. Hermione Granger. I think we need to get in touch with her and find out if it was random… or if she…'

"Has the mark." Mandy nodded. "Do you know where she lives?"

"No, but you could find out." Lisa said. "You work in the Ministry, you could go to the hall of records and get that information, couldn't you?"

"I'll need a reason. They don't just give out that information. That's a violation." Mandy shrugged. "But I might be able to come up with something that would get me authorization."

"Whatever you have to do." Lisa sighed. "We're getting nowhere on our own, and I don't know what else we can do. We're out of options here."

"Okay." Mandy said in agreement. "Okay. Tomorrow I'll figure a way to get Granger's address and we'll write to her."

"No… we need to talk to her face to face." Lisa said adamantly. "This is too important to wait for an owl. It'll be faster to just go see her ourselves."

Mandy nodded. Lisa was right. They were getting nowhere, and Granger was the smartest witch in their class. Hell, Hermione Granger was the smartest witch in an age. There wasn't anything her brilliant mind couldn't figure out. All the Ravenclaws had been rather jealous of her mind while they'd been in school. So much so that some of them had made her life hell for a couple of years. But Granger hadn't really let it bother her. The only person who ever managed to get under her skin had been Draco Malfoy who took some sort of cruel pleasure in mentally and emotionally torturing Granger. And word was that Malfoy had been among the Death Eaters who had attacked Granger a month ago, and she had cleaned his clock and gotten him taken into Auror custody.

"And what if she can't help us, or isn't marked like you think?" Mandy asked.

Lisa could only stare at her best friend with empty eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

11\. You are meant something far greater

Marietta Edgecombe had never felt so nervous in all her life. She couldn't stop herself from trembling, and had to stop walking several times to keep from falling over. Just thinking about what she planned on doing made her heart pound in her chest so hard she thought it might explode. She could not stop smiling.

She had decided that tonight was finally the night that she would share herself, body, mind and soul with her boyfriend, Michael Corner. Tonight, after being together for three years, Marietta was going to make love to her boyfriend for the first time.

Up until now, they had never been more physically intimate than some deep snogging and occasional petting. While Marietta wasn't a prude, she hadn't really ever allowed Michael to explore her physical form as much as she was sure he would have liked. She had explained to him several times that she hadn't wanted to think back on their relationship and remember awkward fumbling about in dirty broom cupboards. Michael had at least respected her enough to agree.

When she and Michael had graduated, they had both gotten caught up starting their careers, and their relationship had very nearly not survived it. But somehow the couple had persevered, and they had reconnected and their relationship had become stronger. She was now positive beyond doubt that she and Michael were going to be together for the rest of their lives and she wanted to be with him. She had discussed her situation with her best friend, Cho, and now she was convinced that tonight was the perfect time for her to show Michael just how deeply she cared for him.

Because Michael lived in a flat in muggle Birmingham, Marietta had to apparate into a park a few blocks away. It was very cold tonight, and Marietta rather regretted her outfit at the moment. A near freezing December night like this was really the wrong time for stockings and high heels. But it was going to be worth it when Michael got a look at her.

She'd taken great care with her appearance for tonight. She'd spent extra time on her hair and her makeup. She'd picked out Michael's favorite outfit, the one that always seemed to make him stare. But most importantly was the lingerie she was wearing underneath her outfit. It was extremely sexy, and Marietta couldn't wait to show it off.

Their plan for the night was very simple. Michael was cooking something special for the two of them. But after they ate dinner, Marietta was going to excuse herself to the loo, undress down to the silky and satiny undergarments and let things take the natural course.

The young woman was simply tingling with anticipation as she climbed the steps to Michael's flat and knocked. She just couldn't wait to see his face when she showed him how much she cared for him. The butterflies in her stomach were fluttering so badly, she didn't know if she would be able to eat, and thought briefly of just skipping dinner altogether.

As she turned the corner and started for the building where her boyfriend lived, that nagging doubt came back again as she worried if she would be good, or if Michael would find her disgusting. She immediately brushed away those negative thoughts by reminding herself of what Cho had said.

"It's never good the first time." The beautiful Asian girl had told her. "It hurts, it's awkward, and it's fast. But then you do it again, and again, and again, and you learn what feels good. And if your guy cares about you the way I know Michael cares for you, then he's going to do all he can to make it better for you as well. He's going to spend time on you and make sure that you don't hate it. Remember he's worried about the same things you are."

The redheaded witch took a moment to calm herself before she climbed the stairs leading to Michael's flat. She didn't want to appear nervous or worried. She didn't want her boyfriend to even suspect anything was out of the ordinary, or the night would be ruined. It had to be perfect.

And so she climbed the steps, and politely knocked on Michael's door.

The wind picked up slightly, and Marietta shivered. She wished she had thought to wear a heavier coat. The one she had chosen was offering almost no protection against the biting cold.

She gave a second knock on the door that was met with continued silence. After another moment, she tried the door to find it locked. After a quick look around to make sure no one was watching, Marietta slipped her wand out of her purse and unlocked the door and quickly slipped inside.

It was dark in the flat, much darker than what felt natural. Marietta smiled to herself thinking that Michael was just going to surprise her by lighting candles to make some sort of grand presentation or something. She called out to him twice before losing her patience and lighting her wand.

The silence was shattered by Marietta's scream of horror.

The room was a disaster. There were scorch marks all over the walls, and some of the furniture was smashed to splinters. In the middle of the ruin was Michael. He was lying flat on his back, his eyes wide in horror, blood pooling around his head, which had been smashed open.

Marietta rushed forward, falling to her knees at her boyfriend's side, tears falling from her eyes as she tried to wake Michael, as if this was some cruel joke.

"You're wasting time, luv."

Marietta shrieked again and fell onto her backside. Standing in the kitchen, barely visible in the dark were four hooded and robed figures.

"Do not fear sweet one, he was not worthy of you anyway. You are meant something far greater... if you are truly worthy." The gruff voice of the leader stated as he stepped forward, lifting his wand slightly, pointing at Marietta.

The frightened witch attempted to get her wand up, but it was ripped right out of her hand before she could even think of a spell to use. Her muscles suddenly seized up, and the redhead found herself lying flat on the ground. She'd been placed in a body bind curse. Her heart was hammering in her chest as two of the robed figures approached her.

"Forgive me sweet one, but it's better if you don't fight. We really don't want you damaged. Now, there's just one more thing I need to check, we don't want any mistakes here." The robed figure said, bending down and using his wand to open up the left side of her special dress and the silky black baby doll underneath. She wanted desperately to punch, kick and claw at this animal. She wanted to run as fast as she could, screaming for anyone to help her. But all she could do was endure.

She could feel rough fingers on her skin now, tracing a spot on her rib cage where she knew an odd scar had recently appeared. She was sure it had been the result of an unfortunate collision with a statue while out with Cho one night. It was hard to remember because there had been quite a bit of alcohol consumed that night. However, her assailant seemed quite interested in it.

The robed figure let out a long slow moan of glee as he gently scooped Marietta into his arms and rose to his feet. Tears leaked from her eyes as her heart thundered in her chest. She knew that her life was at an end. There was no way to escape now.

"Weep not my sweet one." The robed figure said softly as if to a lover. "When next we meet, you will be on the precipice of true infamy. I myself promise to write the first song of your beauty and power."

There was no time to figure out what he had meant by that. She felt the tip of a wand touch her temple, there was a flash of white, and then she was enveloped in the warm embrace of unconsciousness.

* * *

Sirius Black entered his ancestral home and gave the faintest of smiles. The house had gone through such a phenomenal change that the old place was hardly recognizable. Sirius knew beyond a doubt that it had been the right decision to give the house to his godson for his crusade. Though the place had changed thanks to Harry gutting it and rebuilding it for his purposes, Sirius found that all the old memories lingered. Even now he could hear the voice of his dead mother screaming her disappointment at him from beyond. If things had been different, Sirius would have used fiendfyre on the place.

"Harry?" Sirius called, setting aside his family issues. "Harry, where are you?"

"Library!" Came the response of his wife, Annalise. Sirius arched an eyebrow in curiosity. He hadn't expected his wife to be here. The newest member of the Wizengamot headed up the stairs to the second floor and into the Black Family library where he found the stunningly beautiful woman collecting more books from the shelves and bringing them to a table in the center of the room. His godson, Harry, and his lifelong friend, Remus Lupin were sitting in two comfortable armchairs, surrounded by stacks of books. Many of the shelves were empty, and Sirius wondered briefly how long they had all been researching.

"Any luck?" Sirius asked, trying to navigate the tome canyon his friend and his godson had built. Harry looked up, rubbed his eyes and grimaced.

"So far we've found nothing." Remus scowled, without looking up from his book. "Except the growing urge to skin myself just to get rid of all the filth I feel is accumulating on me from reading all this stuff. My god Sirius, I knew your family was dark, but…"

"I tried to tell you." Sirius glowered before turning to Harry, his expression brightening. "I brought you some food."

"Pizza." Harry smiled, almost launching out of his chair and alleviating Sirius of the large flat box. He tore it open and all but shoved a big slice into his mouth.

"Fank oo." Harry said over a very large mouthful of supreme with extra cheese goodness. Annalise looked rather appalled by the youth's behavior, but Sirius just grinned as Harry offered the box to Remus who slipped a warm slice out and used it to salute Sirius in gratitude before taking a large, appreciative bite. His wife set her books down and came around to greet her husband with a warm kiss. Sirius gave a sigh of contentment as he tasted her.

"Long day?" She asked. Sirius gave a nod, and then turned to Harry.

"Did Remus tell either of you about what happened in the morning session?" Sirius asked. Both Harry and Anna nodded.

"I don't know why you seem so surprised." Harry shrugged. "We were expecting this to happen. Actually, I thought they would have brought this up a bit sooner, but then again, I also thought I would have accomplished more by now."

"Well, you also didn't think Voldemort would have already had a new plan in motion." Annalise stated as she let go of Sirius and took a slice of pizza for herself. "You could also have just gone with your original plan and hunted him down. But you're choosing to help these girls first. You really have become quite a hero. I think your parents would be proud."

Both Sirius and Remus gave a nod of agreement while smiling rather proudly at the young man who was still staring at his book. After turning another page, he growled softly and tossed the book over his shoulder.

"Hey kid, those are priceless copies of…" Sirius began, but Harry just gave him a wry look.

"They're all rubbish." He said evenly, and Sirius took a moment before nodding his agreement.

"Burn them." Sirius replied flatly.

"Now, now." Remus said, finally looking up. "They may be foul, but they do contain knowledge that may prove invaluable in Harry's crusade. We already found a few useful spells that neither of us knew that may come in handy in a big fight. And I put aside a couple of volumes that had some interesting poisons and antidotes in them that Harry could use on his arrows."

"Alright, we won't burn them." Harry rolled his eyes. "At least not all of them anyway."

Sirius chuckled and Remus gave his old friend a sour look.

"He's clearly your godson." Remus scowled slightly.

"So what did they actually say during the session?" Harry said, going for his second slice of pizza.

Sirius looked at all of the books covering the furniture and sighed. He slipped his wand from his sleeve and conjured a chair, grabbing a slice for himself before Harry devoured it all.

"No actual proposals have been made yet, but people aren't too happy with you killing off prominent Purebloods. Madam Bones made quite the speech which seemed centered on what could happen if someone undermines our laws, and how it could lead to anarchy." Sirius sighed wearily. "Yet there was no mention of the fact that everyone you've dealt with were Death Eaters, and escaped justice at least once before. Runcorn's reputation alone would have been enough for me to dance naked in the street when I learned he died."

"Maybe they'll change their minds if I manage to hand them any of the LeStranges or Rookwood, or Malfoy.

"You'd need a mountain of proof before they'd convict Malfoy." Remus grumbled. "He's extremely devious as well as unfathomably wealthy. If he can't snake his way out of a situation, he'll buy his way out. Not only was he able to avoid Azkaban, he became a senior adviser to Fudge during his term as minister."

"Harry?" Annalise said hesitantly. She looked up from her book, and turned it towards Harry. "I think I found it."

Harry looked at the page Anna had indicated, and his eyes grew wide with recognition. There on the page was a rather simplistic drawing of the very thing he'd been hoping to find.

"That's it!" Harry shouted as he stared at the open book. "That's the mark Granger had!"

Annalise took the book back and began to read aloud to the three men.

"The Kyteler Coven of Ireland claimed to be brought together by the mark of the Oign Ban-dia. It was formed in 1193 by Mary-Beth Kyteler, daughter of prominent archmage Tiberius Kyteler. The Kyteler Coven was rumored to be descendants of the Oigh Ban-dia, High priestesses of Hecate from Greece around the year 34.

Each member of the Coven bore the brand of the Oigh Ban-dia, a dark red oval under their left breast representing their femininity marred by an off center cross representing their purity and power."

Sirius and Remus looked puzzled. They looked to Harry who appeared to be just as confused. Annalise cleared her throat and continued.

"Very little is known of these thirteen witches as all books and scrolls are believed to have been destroyed following the purge of the coven in 1201. However Mary-Beth claimed that her coven had discovered a way to infinitely extend life. Mary-Beth was killed by her father in July of 1201 after he claimed she had committed crimes against nature and magic itself. Tiberius Kyteler then went on to kill off each of the other girls until he himself was murdered by Gretchen Ott, the last remaining member of the coven, who disappeared in December 1201."

Annalise looked up and shrugged. "That's all it has."

Remus rose from his chair and turned to stare around the stacks and piles of books on the floor.

"I saw that before." He said thoughtfully.

"The mark?" Sirius asked curiously.

"No… that word. Oigh Ban-dia." Remus said as he lunged at the pile and began rifling through it.

"It was in a large book with a dark red cover, AH-HA!" The werewolf shouted triumphantly as he hefted the book he had described, brought it back to the table and opened it. He flipped through the pages while Harry stepped back, folding his arms over his chest and began to pace back and forth, something tugging at the corners of his mind.

"Extend life." Harry said softly to himself, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms in contemplation.

"Here it is." Remus said, and they all gathered around the table again. "The Virgin Priestesses of Hecate. The first coven of witches in recorded history, the Priestesses of Hecate were well known for their rites of magic practiced under the Harvest moon and were said to have been focused on the nurturing of life. The Coven of Hecate spread all over Europe, Asia, and the Middle East and was identified by many different names, such as Ebehu Ilati in Sumeria, Kaum-Ara Striguru in Hindi, Oigh Ban-Dia in Gaelic and B'Tuolteh D'Kuorma in Aramaic, to name a few. Though they were known by many different names, the members of the order were always identified by the Mark of Hecate."

"So Voldemort believes that these girls can extend his life." Harry reasoned. "So my guess is that he's performing some kind of sacrificial ritual in order to steal their powers."

"That makes sense." Sirius agreed. "And now we know that he's looking for thirteen girls."

"This says the girls were branded." Annalise said, pointing to the first book. "But Harry, you said that the mark just appeared on Miss Granger, didn't you?"

"That's what she said." Harry nodded.

"These are only anecdotes really." Remus noted. "There isn't a lot here, and we can't be sure of how much of this is true. A lot of it could have been lost in the translation from one text to another, not to mention how much was lost to time. I mean, this book was written in 1583, and we don't know where the author got their information from."

"So, if Harry's theory is correct, Voldemort is somehow taking the power of these girls to prolong his life." Annalise looked to Harry who was reading the book Remus had foraged for. "He's taken three so far, and we know of at least three more?"

"Four. Hermione Granger, the girls in Diagon Alley and that first girl I helped in London." Harry remarked with a nod, still reading the book. "I told Granger to try and find that first girl. I'll tell her to find the other two when I see her Sunday night."

"You've been saying that you'd see her for two weeks now." Annalise pointed out and Harry looked up.

"I sent letters apologizing, but I didn't have anything to tell her." Harry stammered, realizing too late where Anna was going with this.

"You shouldn't make a date with a lady and break it." Anna remarked sourly.

"I don't think this is the time to give the kid dating advice, honey." Sirius pointed out.

"That still leaves roughly seven girls out there?" Remus asked, getting the conversation back on track. "And we have no idea how to find them, or how Voldemort is finding them."

"Then maybe it's time we find out." Harry said, marking the pages in each book before closing them and walking out of the library. Anna, Sirius and Remus followed him up the stairs to his armory. Harry began putting on his armor while Remus wandered around, admiring the many weapon options Harry had made for himself. He'd been told why and how the young wizard chose to make his weapons, but it still astounded him when he saw the product of Harry's work.

Sirius watched his godson, his heart weighing heavy in his chest. He still wanted to protect Harry as he had for so many years, despite the fact that Harry hadn't needed him for a couple of years now. He was strong. Stronger than Sirius could ever hope to be. But it didn't lessen the worry in his mind. He'd been Harry's guardian his entire life, and he felt as if he was watching his own son prepare for war.

"What's your plan?" Sirius asked.

Harry was now selecting arrows for his quiver. He checked each and every one before placing it in the sling. Harry gave a small shrug and glanced at Sirius with a hint of a smile.

"I've identified plenty of his followers. If I can find one or two of them tonight, then we can have a nice little chat. If I can find out how they're hunting these girls, maybe I can get ahead of them and identify the girls myself." Harry said as he slipped the quiver over his shoulder and locked it into place. He then went to a rack and began selecting edged weapons and slipping them into sheathes hidden on his armor.

"And then what?" Sirius asked. "If they're all over the place, how will you protect them all?"

"Once I identify them, I can give their names to Tonks. Let the Aurors do their jobs, and I can get back to hunting Death Eaters." Harry smiled as he grabbed his bow and slung it over his shoulder. He tightened his bracers, slipped his wand into the left bracer then pulled up his hood. Once it was on his head, the glamour charm activated and hid his face in a black void.

"At least you've thought this through." Sirius remarked wryly.

"Sirius," Harry said, in that eerie chorus of voices that disguised his real voice. "I'll be careful. I promise."

And with that, Harry turned and sprinted towards the window, leaping out and disappearing. Remus turned to Sirius with a look of awe.

"He has to teach me how he apparates without sound." The werewolf said excitedly.

"Go to Tibet." Sirius smiled sadly. "Master Gau will be happy to teach you, though I don't know if you'll appreciate his method. The man loves his cane."

Remus gave his friend a questioning look and Sirius rubbed the small of his back. Remus winced and Sirius gave him a nod, turned and headed back downstairs.

* * *

Hermione and Tracey stepped up to the door and knocked. Hermione and Tracey stepped up to the door and knocked. There was a short pause before they heard, "Who is it?"

"Hermione and Tracey." The girls exchanged a look, they didn't blame their host for her caution.

A young woman with shoulder length brown curls and bright brown eyes opened the door and gave them a relieved smile. Mandy Brocklehurst placed her hand on her chest in a gesture of relief, her smile lit up her eyes.

"You came!" She said and stepped back to allow them inside. "I can't believe it. I thought for sure you thought I was mental and were going to just not show up."

"You did sound mental." Tracey remarked as she slipped her scarf off. Hermione simply looked at a very ecstatic looking Mandy who stepped back to allow her guests entry. The two girls entered the flat, and Mandy shut the door before waving them to sit on the sofa.

"Well, I wasn't expecting to find you in the Hall of Records, like I said. It threw me off." Mandy explained. "I had this whole story I was going to use to get Hermione's information, and there you were."

Hermione gave a hint of a smile as she glanced around the small flat. It was about the same size as her own, though much more sparsely furnished. There was a sofa with a small table next to it. A single lamp lit the room. Directly across from the sofa was the kitchen area where a small table and two chairs rested. There was nothing on the walls, and three stacks of books next to the sofa. Hermione could see two doors, one of which was open, and there was an unmade bed with a pile of laundry resting on it.

"Lisa, they're here!" Mandy shouted. At once a tall, willowy blonde stepped out of the closed door which turned out to be the bathroom, and smiled in greeting. She was dressed in a loose shirt that hung off her left shoulder revealing the strap of her soft pink bra. Her dark jeans hugged her long legs and her feet were bare. Her fingernails and toenails were painted a dark red. Other than that she wore no makeup, and had dark circles under her eyes.

Hermione recognized Lisa Turpin from her Arithmancy classes. The brunette remembered the blonde as very intelligent, and usually the first to get equations worked out, behind her of course. Other than that, the only other thing Hermione knew was that she had been in Ravenclaw.

"Thank you for coming." Lisa said crossing to the kitchenette. She set the kettle on the stove, and started to heat it before going to a cupboard and taking down four mugs. "Mandy told me that she kind of blathered on this morning. So I'll just start by asking if you know why the Death Eaters attacked you?"

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say that they attacked her for the same reason you wanted to talk to her for." Tracey said, eyeing the blonde suspiciously.

"Oh for fuck's sake." Mandy sighed. "Things will go faster if we just show you."

She opened the front of her cream colored blouse and slipped it off her left shoulder as she turned and held up her arm revealing her rib cage. Hermione and Tracey's eyes bulged as they recognized the mark, even partially covered by her bra. It was the same as the one they both bore.

"How long have you had that?" Hermione asked, speaking for the first time since she and Tracey had arrived.

Lisa gave a slight shrug. "I first discovered mine right after I was attacked." Lisa began. "About a week later Mandy revealed that she had it as well. We went to the Aurors and they photographed it, but then they just let us go. They didn't seem all that bothered by it."

"That isn't true." Mandy corrected. "The lady with the pink hair seemed very curious about it, but we haven't seen or heard from her since."

"Didn't you say the Auror who came asking for a list of all the nineteen year old witches had pink hair?" Tracey asked Hermione, who nodded thoughtfully.

"Do you both have it?" Mandy asked, indicating the mark which she had covered back up again. Hermione nodded and Tracey looked at both Mandy and Lisa.

"I discovered it one night with my now ex-boyfriend. He seemed kind of upset about it. I found out later it was because he was a Death Eater." Tracey stated, unable to hide the anger in her voice.

"Oh my god." Mandy exclaimed.

"Did he…" Lisa began.

"Try to kidnap me?" Tracey asked, arching an eyebrow, her eyes burning with fury. "He tried. And unlike you lot, no one showed up to save me."

"Um, I actually haven't been attacked yet." Mandy said a little guiltily.

"Let's hope you aren't" Hermione said before turning to Lisa. "What happened the night you were attacked?"

Lisa took in a breath, held it and then let it out slowly. She then recalled as best as she could everything that had transpired that night in the alley so close to her home. She told them about how they had boxed her in, and how they had disarmed her. What it felt like to be placed in a body bind curse and being unable to stop them from ripping her shirt, and the way it felt when the man had traced his fingers on her flesh. She shivered when she thought back to how it had felt.

The blonde haired witch then went on to tell the others about the fire, the sounds she'd heard, suddenly finding herself free, and the man in black who had clearly saved her.

"Then he disappeared into the dark. It was so eerie. I was so freaked out I ran all the way home, locked the doors and retched. When I calmed down to think about it all, I went to the bathroom, and saw it for the first time." Lisa said, indicating her side where Hermione now knew Lisa bore the same mark she herself had.

"She'd sort of went missing the week after." Mandy chimed in.

"I was too afraid to leave." Lisa nodded.

"I came to check on her after she missed the dinner we had planned, and then I made her go to the Aurors." Mandy finished.

"So what is this?" Lisa asked. "Why are the Death Eaters so interested in it?"

"That's the one hundred thousand galleon question." Tracey replied.

"We don't know." Hermione said pointedly. "We've haven't been able to find anything to tell us what it is or why we have it. And I haven't heard from him in two weeks. Except for a couple of letters to tell me he wasn't coming."

"Wait, who?" Mandy asked, looking confused.

"Your black clad hero showed up at Hermione's a two weeks ago and got her to get naked in front of him." Tracey smirked.

"That isn't what happened!" Hermione glared at her friend.

"You took your shirt off, and you only had your knickers on underneath it." Tracey pointed out.

"That's… I didn't… That isn't what happened!" Hermione argued. Lisa and Mandy just looked at each other, very confused by the argument. Hermione huffed and folded her hands on the table in front of her as she turned to Lisa.

"He came to me because he needed to know about the mark. I showed it to him. That was it." Hermione said very pointedly.

"In your knickers." Tracey said softly.

"He promised to look into it." Hermione continued a little more loudly than was necessary. "We were supposed to meet on Sunday two weeks ago, but he hasn't been able to make it. He sent me letters so I wouldn't waste my night waiting for him."

"Courteous." Mandy remarked.

"So what do we do then?" Lisa asked. "I mean, I gotta say I really hate doing nothing, just waiting for the Death Eaters to come find me again."

"And I have to admit I'm starting to become super paranoid." Mandy stated. "I mean, I'm constantly wondering if I'm being followed, or if someone I work with is a Death Eater since they found out the wards at the ministry weren't working as well as they thought."

"To be honest," Hermione sighed, "I really don't know what to do. I'm at a loss as to where to look for answers. But I feel like we need to all come together. Like we're going to find out what we need to do, but only if we're all together."

"Are there more of us?" Mandy asked, a little puzzled.

"Hannah Abbott." Tracey confirmed. "She and Susan Bones were attacked in the Alley not too long ago."

"That's who it was?" Lisa asked. "The paper didn't say, and we've been wondering."

"Susan talked to us last night, and she thinks that she might be able to talk to someone in the Department of Mysteries about the mark." Tracey began. "She and Hannah are really beginning to hate the constant guard Susan's Aunt placed to protect them."

"They really don't like being cooped up." Hermione said softly.

"Because they like to go out and party." Tracey explained. "Everyone knows that if there was a party at Hogwarts, they were either at it, or responsible for it."

"I went to one." Mandy smiled. "They held it on the Seventh floor in sixth year. It was a lot of fun."

"Was that the one that you and Kevin Entwhistle made out for three hours?" Lisa asked. Mandy went scarlet and shook her head.

"That wasn't a party." She said quickly.

"Sounds like a party to me." Tracey sniggered.

"The point is that we try and figure out why we're being hunted. I don't know that we're going to find the answer in a book, so I'm open to any ideas." Hermione said steering the conversation back on topic.

Lisa paused for a moment and then looked to Mandy. "Maybe it's time we talked to that Auror. But this time, we all go talk to her."

"That's not a bad idea actually." Tracey agreed. "If five of us show up, all with the mark, and they know Death Eaters are hunting us, maybe they'll at least place us under protection. They can't ignore the fact that we're all marked, and four of us have been attacked."

"It's a start." Mandy agreed. "And maybe she'll tell us something that might help us figure out what is going on."

Hermione only nodded. She wasn't as sure that this was the right course of action, but she didn't have any other ideas. The only thing she could think of was the list of all the witches in Great Britain of the age of nineteen she had provided for the Aurors, and how she wanted to try and find them all herself to see for sure if there were more girls bearing the mark. She was positive that some of their answers would come if they could find others. In her heart, she just knew that was what they should be doing. Finding others like themselves.

* * *

Tonks sat at her table staring at the photos of Marjorie Pucey's body. She was focused on the girls' hands at the moment. As she stared, she tried to decipher the runes tattooed there, seeing if she could discover what their purpose was.

She sat with a small tablet of paper and was trying to draw the runes she thought she recognized. So far, the only ones she was half sure she had correct were "Growth" and "Door".

She finished the latest one, glanced at it and huffed. What had started as what she thought was "Time" turned out to look like a teddy bear hugging a rolled carpet.

The front door opened and Bill called out cheerily. Tonks got up and greeted him with a soft kiss. She smiled to herself. There was nothing that made her feel better than one of Bill's kisses. She was surprised at how good their relationship was. Tonks hadn't had the best luck with boyfriends in the past. Usually they dated her because she could literally become anyone they imagined. But Bill wanted Tonks. He wanted her in her most natural form. While he didn't mind her crazy pink hair and all of that, he preferred her without enhancements. It was one of the biggest reasons she loved him.

"I got everything you asked for." Bill said, as he stepped around her and set the bag of groceries on the counter. "I had to go to three different places, but I got it all, now are you going to tell me what you plan to do with it?"

"Cook you dinner." She said with a grin. "I thought you were supposed to be smart."

"I'm quite aware that you are planning to make dinner, Dora." Bill turned, eyeing her in a way that made her stomach do flips. She loved it when he looked at her so heatedly. "I'd be an idiot if I'd gone shopping for all this food and not realize you were going to be making dinner. I'm asking specifically what you planned to make."

"Well, you're going to have to wait and find out." Tonks grinned, and began to clear up her mess on the table. Bill came over and leaned over her, kissing her neck, and making her swoon as he wrapped his arms around her middle.

"You're horrible." He growled in her ear.

"And you love it." She replied.

"This from your case?" he asked. She gave a nod as she held one of the photos and stared at it again. It was of Marjorie Pucey's hand. She was still amazed at the state of the girl's fingernails. They were perfect. How could she have not fought back against whomever had killed her?

"This was the latest victim. I've been trying to figure out what these runes mean, but there are so many, I can't even begin to decipher them."

"Well that one is life, and that one is gift." Bill said, pointing to two.

"Are you sure?" Tonks asked, looking at the ones he's pointed to. Bill pulled away and took the photo from her, and looked closer.

"Yeah." He nodded. "But I'm curious why they placed Life is inside of Gift. It's like whoever did this wanted her to give her life as if it were a present, if that makes any sense."

Tonks took the photo and stared at it. She grabbed her notepad and wrote down the runes and their meanings and then pointed to another section to see if Bill could decipher anymore. The tall redhead stared for a few moments before shrugging.

"This could be anchor. Which would make sense if you wanted to make sure she couldn't leave wherever she was. And this could be strength, but I don't know why you'd want to grant her strength. But I don't know for sure."

"That's interesting." Tonks said taking the photo back. "And it's at least a direction to explore. So thank y… HEY WAIT A MINUTE!"

Bill flinched as Tonks rounded on him and eyed him up and down.

"How is it that the Unspeakables haven't been able to decipher a single one of these fucking things, and you glance at it, and identify three?" Tonks looked very confused and a little angry. Bill could only shrug.

"If I were to give it my best guess," Bill began. "It would be that the Unspeakables never leave that dingy basement of theirs. I was out in the field translating runes, and undoing wards for years. Some really complex ones at that. A lot of them like what's in those pictures. Runes within runes. Wards within wards. The Unspeakables only read books where the Runes are all lined up nice and neat. I've no doubt that they will get there in the end, though it may take them some time. Hell, it would likely take me two or three months."

Tonks thought about what he'd said and nodded her understanding. She then began gathering all the case files together as she glanced back at BILL.

"If you want dinner anytime before the end of the month, you'd do well to get out of my kitchen." She smirked.

Bill gave one last roguish smile, and kissed Tonks soundly before retreating into the sitting room. Tonks swatted his arse and turned to unpack the groceries he'd brought. As she did so, her mind began to ponder the runes on the girl's hand. Life tattooed inside Gift.

Working off of Bill's presumption that the killer somehow wanted his victims to gift their lives, how would that be accomplished? None of the girls had killed themselves. In fact none of them had any wounds at all. They were simply drained.

And that's when Tonks stopped. The girls had been drained of blood. The blood was the key.

It was a well-known mantra in the Vampire Nation that blood was life. The girls were being drained of their blood, their life. No, that wasn't right. They were gifting their life. Somehow, they were draining themselves, offering their life to their killer. And if the vigilante was to be believed, that killer was Voldemort.

Tonks spun and stared at the file on the table. Assuming now that the vigilante was right, Voldemort was alive, and had found a way to heal himself. He was taking the lives of girls to regain his strength. But he wasn't just taking random girls, he was targeting specific girls, and Tonks had met some of them. Hannah Abbott, Hermione Granger, and those two girls who'd reported on the vigilante and Runcorn's murder. The girls bearing that strange mark.

Tonks lunged forward and scooped up the file off the table, and sprinted into the sitting room.

"Sorry Luv, but I have to get to the office. I think I may have figured this out, and I need to tell Kingsley."

"Go!" Bill said standing up and kissing her quickly. "Go save lives."

"I'm sorry about dinner." She said, opening the door as she slipped on her favorite leather jacket. She really did feel bad but Bill just smiled and helped her get her jacket on before almost pushing her out the door.

"There's more important things than a missed meal." He said.

"I love you!" She said as she turned and hauled ass out of the building, down into the alley, and apparated away.


	12. Chapter 12

12\. Blood Is Life

She opened her eyes, but all she could see was blackness. She was lying on something cold and hard. She began to move and felt dirt under her fingers and realized she was on the ground. Slowly she rolled herself onto her stomach and pushed herself up, her arms trembling with the effort. She felt as if all her strength had been drained somehow.

As she sat up her head swam, and her stomach churned. Thankfully she didn't vomit, but she wasn't ruling it out yet. It was then that she realized that she was naked. Her skin was covered in goose flesh and her nipples felt like rocks. Fear and confusion gripped her tightly and she felt tears forming in her eyes. She tried to think of where she was or how she had come to be here, but her mind was a fog. The only thing she could remember was a body. His body. Michael's face staring blankly at her with lifeless eyes.

She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around herself to try and warm herself somehow. The tears fell now, and Marietta Edgecombe began to beg for someone to come for her. For her mother to burst through the door wrap her in her warm embrace and take her away from all of this. But it didn't happen, and Marietta knew in her heart of hearts that it wasn't going to either.

And she heard a sound from her left. She turned and saw a sliver of light appear. The terrified witch was sure it was from the bottom of a door. This was confirmed a second later when she heard the clicks of locks, and more light began to poor into the darkness.

"Are you awake yet my sweet?" came a soft feminine voice. "I've brought you some food. You need to regain your strength."

Someone was silhouetted in the light that was blinding Marietta. She looked to be a smaller woman, and Marietta thought she might be able to overpower her. All at once Marietta shot to her feet and lunged for her captor only to suddenly freeze on the threshold of the prison cell. The woman began to cackle madly, and terror filled Marietta's heart as she got a good look at her captor.

She was thin, with wild black hair, and heavy lidded eyes. Her cheeks were sunken, and her skin pale as if she hadn't seen sunlight in decades. There was madness in her dark eyes, and she was all but dancing around Marietta's frozen form. The restrained girl knew her face. She'd seen it a dozen times in the paper over the last three years, ever since her widely publicized escapes from Azkaban prison. Bellatrix Lestrange was one of the most feared witches in the service of He-Who-Must-not-Be-Named's army.

"They all try, and they all fail!" the woman gasped between peels of laughter. Slowly she got herself under control, and began to circle the young witch, appraising her.

"So young and ripe." Bellatrix said breathily. "If only you understood what you possessed. Why is youth wasted on the young."

The woman reached out and softly caressed Marietta's back, humming softly as she felt the softness of the girl's skin. She continued to circle, and Marietta wished she could get away if only to not feel the woman's fingers on her.

"Such soft skin, tight arse, and firm breasts!" Bellatrix actually grabbed Marietta's breast and squeezed it. The young witch whimpered and shut her eyes in horror and shame. Bellatrix slapped Marietta's left breast with a resounding crack and cackled at her victim's embarrassment.

"Now, I'm sure you have many questions." Bellatrix said with a sneer as she reached up and cupped her plaything's chin. "And I'm sure the first question is 'Why can't I move?' The answer is simple my pet. You can't leave this room without my help. You see, we've taken steps to ensure we get exactly what we want from you."

Bellatrix took Marietta's left hand and raised it so her victim could see the back of her own hand. Marietta's eyes widened as she saw the runic tattoo there.

"These will make sure that you can't leave this room, unless I bring you out. If you try to leave, you will freeze just as you are now. There are only two other room where you will have full control over yourself, and you will see them both soon. Oh we have so many surprises in store for you. For now though, it is important that you keep up your strength."

Bellatrix turned and disappeared from view for a moment. When she returned it was with a large platter of food which she placed inside the cell. She then lit a small gas lamp inside, and even conjured a small bed. She then returned, and with a cruel smile shoved Marietta backwards into the cell. As soon as she was back inside, her limbs unfroze, and she fell hard on her bare posterior. Bellatrix laughed and shut the door with a loud slam.

Marietta sat up and stared at her hands now that she had some light. Both of her hands had the same runic tattoo. She found them on the tops of her feet and one each shoulder as well. She was trapped, and there was no escaping. Worse, Bellatrix had promised more surprises. Given what Marietta had discovered so far, she wasn't looking forward to anything that awaited her. With a looked of disgust, Marietta grabbed the platter of food that rested on the tiny uncomfortable looking bed and flung it at the door. If they needed her strong, than she would do her best to remain weakened and frail. She would defy them as best as she could.

Immediately Marietta began to regret that. She was starving, and if she had any chance of getting away, she would need her strength. Looking back at the bed, the redheaded witch crawled on top of the broken down mattress that smelled terribly and curled up into a tight shivering ball where she began to sob uncontrollably.

* * *

Nymphadora Tonks sat at her desk pouring over the photos of each of the victims. She had marked every instance where she had been able to find the runes for "Gift" and "Life" just as Bill had pointed it out to her. On each girl the same combination appeared on the palms of their hands, their breasts, their inner thighs and their pubic areas. She had also discovered the "Life" rune tattooed in several other places on each girl, always in the same place on each one. Tonks decided that she was going to cook her boyfriend the best meal she could and then she was going to shag him until he couldn't walk upright as a reward. While she was no closer to solving the case, or discovering who the other potential victims might be, she had something, and perhaps her knew friend with the leather obsession might be able to shed more light on the problem.

"Tonks?" Kingsley asked with a quizzical look. "I thought you were making dinner for your boyfriend tonight."

"I was." Tonks said, slipping her wand out and erecting a privacy ward. Kingsley eyed her questioningly. "Look at this and tell me what you see."

Kingsley took the offered photo and then sighed.

"It's the hand of one of the victims. Tonks, we've been over this, I don't know what…" Kinglsey started but Tonks cut him off.

"In the center of her palm." She said standing up and pointing. "That's the rune for Life. And the one around it is for Gift. And I found this same combination on each girl's breasts and on the pubic mound, right above their vagina."

Kingsley peered at it and then looked at Tonks more puzzled. "When did you figure this out?"

Tonks actually shrank a bit, and avoided looking at Kinsley's eyes now. "Actually bill identified them."

"What?" Kingsley's brow furrowed and his expression became stern. "You let your boyfriend look at sensitive…"

"I didn't let him." Tonks lied. "I was going over some of the photos at home and lost track of time. He showed up and saw them and it's lucky he did because he figured out what they were. And before the Unspeakables did!"

"Bleeding Christ Tonks, if Scrimgeour found out he'd have your ass in a sling! At best you'd get suspended without pay!" Kingsley snapped, looking around to make sure no one was listening, and then remembering Tonks had put up privacy charms.

"I know, I know!" She replied. "But can we just forget that for a moment and focus on the good here? We have something, and it's more than we had yesterday. Now, I was thinking about this for a while, and I think I know what's happening to these girls. Each one we've found has died from lack of blood, right?"

Kingsley nodded though he looked like he wanted to strangle her for leaking information about their investigation. Tonks ignored it and pressed on.

"At first I thought it was Vampires, because I couldn't think of anything else that thrived off of blood. And then these runes sort of confirmed it. Everyone knows the vampire mantra that blood is life right? But it can't be vampires because there's no wounds anywhere. And besides, vampire rituals are ceremonial and more for show than anything else. But this rune. Gift… It got me thinking that whoever is killing these girls isn't taking their lives, but forcing them to give them their lives."

"What do you mean?" Kingsley asked, now becoming intrigued.

"Let's say that you have been mortally wounded." Tonks began, edging around her theory, attempting to ease Kingsley into it. "And let's say that you are and extremely powerful wizard and you've discovered a way to heal yourself, and even grow your power by taking that of someone else. But in order for it to work, that person has to willingly give you their power. No one would ever be willing to do that… unless they were compelled to."

"Through a ritual." Kingsley said following Tonks. "A ritual where you were covered in runes that compelled you to do what the master of the ritual wanted."

"Kingsley, what if a certain Dark Wizard isn't dead like we all hope, but regain his strength, or even growing it by killing these witches?" Tonks pressed hesitantly. Kingsley looked stunned, but to Tonks' surprise, didn't scoff at the idea.

"It fits, but if Dumbledore couldn't survive then I don't see how You-Know-Who could…" Kingsley started but Tonks cut him off again.

"We all thought he had died back in 1981, remember?" She pointed out. "And somehow he returned. And he did it by killing all three champions from the Tri-Wizard Tournament. It fits with his modus operandi. Kingsley, you-Know-Who is still alive, and he's targeting girls with this mark."

Tonks held up the photo of Samantha Pike's ribcage where the now familiar oval and cross was visible among the tattooed runes.

"And, I think Dumbledore knew that he wasn't going to defeat You-Know-Who. I, I think he planned for this. Well, not this per se, but something." Tonks took a step back as Kingsley looked at her now with a look of concern.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this?" He asked.

"I know you're going to be angry, and I know that I should have told you from the start, but," Tonks said beginning to pace. "I've got no excuse, but I just did what moody taught me. I went with my gut. On this, and I still think I did the right thing. Moody agrees with me too, so I know that I'm right, but I need you to be with me on this. I mean, this is huge Kinglsey. I mean mega huge. I'm talking…"

"Tonks!" Kingsley snapped, and Tonks started with fright and then locked eyes with her partner.

"I… I talked to him." She started. "The vigilante. I talked to him."

"I'm sorry, do what now?" Kingsley muttered, completely thrown off by his partner's admission.

"It was like a month ago. You weren't here, and I got a note. He wanted to meet me. He asked me to come alone. I thought it might have been a trap."

"Are you out of your ever loving mind?" Kingsley roared. "What in the name of Merlin were you thinking? You could have been killed."

"I know!" Tonks shouted in answer. "I know I screwed up. I should have told you. I should have had you with me. But he specifically asked that I come alone. I thought maybe I could take him. I thought he might be turning himself in. I don't know what I was thinking."

"And you didn't say anything to me or anyone else? Tonks, you could have your badge taken away! For fuck's sake, you could be thrown into Azkaban! You need to go to Rufus right now and tell him everything!" Kingsley snarled, pointing to the Head Auror's office door.

"I can't do that Kingsley!" Tonks snapped. "We've been wrong about him. He's on our side!"

"He's a fucking killer is what he is!" Kingsley snapped.

"He's only killed Death Eaters!" Tonks pointed out, "And only when they were attacking innocent people. He wasn't doing anything we haven't done!"

"We've been wrong?" Tonks he's killed at least three people that we know of." Kingsley snapped.

"DEATH EATERS!" Tonks rebuked. "He's killed three Death Eaters who were attacking innocent girls Kingsley. He didn't fight us in Diagon Alley either, remember. He fled. He tried to talk to us and Gallagher went all American Cowboy, remember?" He's on our side."

"Don't try and justify his actions!" Kingsley grimaced. "You swore an oath to uphold the law Tonks. That means taking down anyone who is in the wrong, even if their intentions are as noble as you think his are. We can't let people going around playing Judge, Jury and Executioner, Tonks you know that! He's a psychopath that needs to be taken down!"

"He's a good man Kingsley!" Tonks tried. Her partner folded his arms over his vast chest and glowered at her now.

"And how can you possibly know that?" Kingsley asked, clearly agitated.

"Because Dumbledore brought him here." Tonks replied. That brought Kingsley short. He stared at her for a long moment trying to process what he'd just heard.

"Dumbledore brought him here." Kingsley said skeptically. "Let me guess, he told you that, right?"

Tonks sighed and hung her head. She knew where this was going to go.

"Fuck, you really managed to muck things up here Tonks." Kingsley stated continuing to stare at his partner. "You just admitted to breaking regulations, not to mention that it could be seen as aiding and abetting a known criminal. If anyone had overheard any of this you'd be in a cold cell on that god forsaken island by dawn."

Kingsley sighed and rubbed his face with one large hand before fixing Tonks with a hard look. "What kind of proof did he offer on his story."

"None." Tonks admitted and Kingsley threw up his hands in frustration.

"He said he was placing his faith in me." Tonks tried, realizing just how lame it sounded. And then she brightened. "Moody knows about him. He knew about him before I did!"

"What?!" Kinglsey said looking furious now. "Moody knows who this guy is?"

"Well, no." Tonks said shrinking back a bit. "That's not what I said. I said he knew about this guy before I did. Dumbledore told him to watch for him. After I met with the Hood, I went to see Moody. I needed someone to talk to about it who wasn't involved. Someone who wasn't biased by rules and regulations. Moody confirmed that Dumbledore had his own back-up plan in case he wasn't able to finish off You-Know-Who."

"Let's go." Kingsley said, rising and grabbing his cloak.

"Kingsley I just said…"

"I know what you said, and I know Moody. "We're going to get to the bottom of this and then we're going to find this son of a bitch and nail his ass to the wall."

Tonks hung her head for a moment before donning her favorite leather jacket. Kingsley hadn't given her ample chance to explain herself. She hadn't been able to relate the conversation, or give him all the reasons her gut was telling her that the guy in the hood should be trusted. She hadn't even been able to tell Kinglsey how the vigilante had bested her in a fight without firing a single spell, or taking a single swing at her. She wondered idly just how hard Kingsley would take it when he learned how good this guy was first hand, and hoped she'd be there to witness it herself. And stop it if things got out of hand.

Ten minutes later the two Aurors were greeted by a grim looking ex-Auror. Alastor Moody eyed them up and down before allowing them into his home. His magical eye had scanned them for any disguises or weapons, and when they passed into his home, he was satisfied that they were not imposters, thanks to his illusion cancelling wards. He thanked the goblins for that little idea.

"Well what do I owe the pleasure?" Moody asked gruffly, stumping into his sitting room.

"You've got a bit of explaining to do Alastor." Kingsley said in his rumbling baritone. Moody stopped and turned to stare the taller Auror down.

"I'm sorry Mad-Eye." Tonks began. "I didn't mean to bring you into this, but I was backed into a corner."

"Into what exactly?" Moody asked, still staring at Kingsley. It almost looked like the two men were preparing to do battle.

"Tonks tells me you're aware of who the vigilante is." Kingsley said coldly. Moody continued to stare, though a smile was beginning to form on his face.

"Is that what she said?" The former Auror asked.

"No!" Tonks replied, now getting angry. "I said that Dumbledore told you he was coming."

"Well, that's quite different than knowing who he is, isn't it Kingsley?" Moody smirked.

"I want to know everything you know." Kingsley glowered. "Now."

"Or what?" Moody challenged. "Have you forgotten who trained you from a skinny wisp of a boy into the man you are? I know you're strengths and weaknesses. And even though I'm older, and haven't been in the field for a couple of years, I'm willing to bet I could still wipe the floor with you."

"Okay, enough of this." Tonks snapped as she got between the two men. Both of you need to back off now! Kingsley, I tried to tell you back at the office, this guy is on our side. Mad-Eye, tell him what you know, so then we can go out and find him and Kingsley can finally see why we should trust this guy and not trying to get in his way. It's the only way he's going to understand."

Moody caught Tonks' eye and realized what the young witch had in mine and began to smile in earnest. Tonks had admitted to being bested by the man in black, and Moody himself had seen first hand how fast and deadly the wizard could be.

"Alright." Moody nodded. "Since you asked so politely. Yes, Dumbledore told me that he had a back up plan. He told me that someone would be coming to finish off old' snakeface, and that when he came, I needed to assist him in any way I could. That was it. He didn't tell me who it was, or when this savior would show up. So, I kept my ear to the ground for a bit and then when I heard about Runcorn, I suspected Dumbledore's secret had arrived. It was confirmed when he paid me a visit."

"What did he want?" Kingsley asked.

"Names." Moody stated. "He wanted the names of every Death Eater I could think of. So I gave him everything I had. A month or so later, Tonks here came to tell me she'd met him as well, and that he was asking for her help. I told her what I just told you, and then told her I thought she'd do well to aid the guy."

Kingsley looked upset and Moody shook his head.

"Why wouldn't Dumbledore have told all of us?" Kingsley asked. "We were all a part of the Order."

"You know how much the man loved his secrets Kingsley." Moody replied. "Dumbledore never shared more than he had to, and even then only when he was pressed. My best guess is that there's a lot more to this vigilante of yours than just a contingency for if he failed. I told the lass, and now I'm telling you, let this guy do what he came here for."

"I'm supposed to just stand by as people get killed?" Kingsley protested.

"The ones he's after aren't people." Moody snarled. "You know that better than most Shacklebolt. You know better than most what they're capable of. You stick with protecting those who need it, and let this guy take care of the rubbish."

"I can't do that, and I know if you were in my place, you'd do the same." Kingsley replied, shaking his head. "I've had enough of this. I have a job to do. Tonks, I'll keep this between us for now. But if he contacts you again, you are to let me know straight away. If I learn you kept it from me, I will march you into Azkaban myself. Understood?"

Tonks looked to moody who was still glaring at Kingsley.

"Don't look at him, look at me!" Kingsley snapped. "Am I understood? Or do I need you to make an oath?"

Tonks shook her head dejectedly. "No, I'll let you know if he contacts me."

"As for you old man," Kingsley said as he turned back to Moody. The old Auror simply crossed his arms defiantly as the younger Auror coldly stared down at him. "If you were anyone else…"

"You'd what?" Moody said cutting across him. The two men stared daggers at one another until Moody's lip curled into a small smirk and he began shaking his head. "Get the hell out of my house!"

Kingsley turned and marched out. Tonks started to follow but turned and apologized to her mentor. Moody held up a hand to stop her.

"It's alright lass," Moody shook his head. "You got into a tough spot. I would have probably done the same. Do me a favor though. If our friend in black does contact you, before you go telling your partner, let me know first. Knowing the Aurors like I do, he might need someone to help him make a getaway. He won't be able to stop You-Know-Who if he's in Azkaban, will he?"

Tonks gave a grateful smile and hugged Moody before heading home

* * *

Pansy Parkinson wrapped herself in a soft fluffy towel and padded softly out of her bathroom and into her bedroom, where she sat down in front of a large vanity. She picked up her wand and began drying her silken black hair, her mind fixated on her task for the evening. The party was a complete waste of time in her opinion. A ridiculous party to welcome back both Draco Malfoy and Connor Goyle disguised as a Christmas party. Pansy still wasn't clear on why the Aurors released both Draco and Connor, but she guessed that a part of it had been an exchange of gold. As far as Pansy was concerned, they should both have considered themselves lucky that the Dark Lord hadn't killed them for getting caught in the first place.

Still, tonight was going to present an opportunity that Pansy could not pass up. With luck, Pansy hoped to finally learn how she could gain access to the Dark Lord's most private chamber where she hoped to find the things that she was certain would help to secure her ultimate freedom.

As she began applying her make-up, her mind began to wander a bit and she thought about how much she had changed in the last seven years. When she had entered Hogwarts at the age of eleven, she was a skinny thing with a terrible haircut. Now, as she stared at the woman she had become in the mirror, she was pleased by what she had transformed into physically. Though she wanted to be modest, she had to admit that she was in fact a very attractive young woman.

Finished with her makeup and her hair, Pansy rose to her feet and padded softly to her bed where tonight's outfit awaited. She slipped the soft cotton towel from around herself, and couldn't help but glance at the dark red oval with the off center cross that marked her as one of the chosen. The mark that was essentially a death sentence, not unlike the dark mark which adorned her left forearm that made her stomach turn every time she looked at it.

Pansy raised her arm slightly and grimaced at the black tattoo that had been burned into her pale milky flesh six months ago. She had never had any interest in serving the Dark Lord or being a Death Eater. She had never even really believed that Purebloods were any better or worse than Muggleborns. She had only taken the mark because she had been trying to better her family's standing under her father's orders.

Thinking of her father, a small smile appeared on her face. She was truly happy the bastard was dead.

Shaking her head to clear it and prepare herself for what she had to do tonight, Pansy picked up the very scandalous black lace knickers and slipped into them. She had discovered the right lingerie could make one feel very sexy, and deeply empowered. It had sounded ridiculous at the time the young witch had first learned it, but over the years, it had been proven to be true. How you felt about yourself could be projected into how other people saw you. And tonight she needed people to see her as extremely attractive, desirable, and willing.

A matching bra and silk stockings finished off her under things before being encased in a tight black cocktail dress. Hardly traditional for such an occasion for sure, and Pansy knew that many of the older Pureblood hags would be most offended by her choice of attire. However, she also knew that other girls her age would likely be wearing similar outfits, though not nearly as revealing as Pansy was choosing to be.

She went back to her vanity and slipped a velvet choker around her throat, calling attention to her long slender neck. She slipped two gold rings onto fingers on her right hand, and three onto fingers of her left along with a watch and three gold bracelets. She then went across the room to slip into a pair of high heeled black leather ankle boots before turning to the full length mirror on the wall for a final look. She was very pleased with the final outcome, and took a few moments to refocus herself, and try to calm her racing heart. With one final turn in front of the mirror, Pansy Parkinson headed out of her bedroom, and down the stairs.

The nineteen year old witch really loved the house she had inherited when her father died, though she really wanted to renovate it. Unfortunately there was no money for that kind of thing. It was only now that she understood why her father had been so adamant that she do whatever it took to secure a union with a boy from one of the wealthier families. Before beginning Hogwarts, Reginald Parkinson had given her a list of possible suitors, and Draco Malfoy had been at the top of the list. Ingratiating herself into Draco's circle during that first year of school had been easy, and Pansy had played the long game with the Malfoy heir. Her father had been most pleased with her at the end of each year and had often rewarded her with brilliant gifts that most girls would have died of envy over.

That all came to an abrupt halt when she came home after her fifth year of Hogwarts. That had been the year that Pansy had realized that she felt nothing for Draco. She wasn't attracted to him, and often found him downright sickening with all of his "purebloods are better than everyone" rhetoric. Worse still, she'd found herself thinking more and more often about other boys and most often about one Neville Longbottom. Neville, not unlike Pansy herself, had been helped by puberty in the looks department. Neville had been round faced, and pretty chubby for four years. But during their fifth year, Neville had sprouted upwards, and also slimmed down. Neville was often singled out by most people in Slytherin House because he was a Gryffindor, and also because he appeared to be rather weak, often unable to perform spells easily. Then he had broken his wand, and had been forced to get a new one. After that, he had suddenly started performing spell work with extraordinary prowess. Sure, he still struggled, but when he mastered a new spell, it was quite amazing to behold.

Pansy had had to hide her growing infatuation with Neville, or find herself the subject of ridicule within Slytherin House, and she didn't fancy that idea, especially as she'd always been among those who would make other people's lives difficult. She knew how cruel her Housemates could be. So she had guarded her feelings fiercely. However, she had written about it all in her diary, which turned out to be her undoing where her father was concerned. While she had been visiting a friend in the summer, her father had found her diary and read it.

She had suffered for her teenage crush. Her father had made it his mission to teach her that her feelings were wrong and disobedience to her family was unacceptable. After that horrible summer, Pansy decided to mimic Daphne Greengrass and adopted a more aloof disposition. Her final two years at Hogwarts had been some of the most miserable of her life, though no one had any idea how she had been suffering. On the surface, Pansy and Draco were the perfect couple, and Pansy fell in line with how the future wife of a Malfoy should act, including joining the Death Eaters.

Stopping in front of the fireplace, pansy took a moment and practiced her Occlumency in order to clear her mind. She was going to need all of her focus tonight, and this trip down memory lane wasn't going to help her at all. She was not going to end up like the others. She was going to get out, and get free. She had a plan and she was going to follow it through, no matter what it cost. She would attend tonight's party. She would seek out the two people she was sure she could manipulate and retrieve the information she needed, and do whatever she had to do in order to accomplish that goal.

She could feel her fear welling up within her, and she held onto it tightly. She had learned a lot about the power of fear during her time with the Death Eaters. It could cripple you, or it could fuel you and make you do things many would think impossible. Pansy was choosing to let it fan the flames of her desire for freedom. She closed her eyes and pictured the very thing she was trying to avoid. She held that image and locked it in her mind. With one last deep breath, Pansy opened her eyes, stepped forward and grabbed a handful of silvery floo powder.

"Ad victoriam." She whispered before stepping into the green flames and disappearing.

* * *

Hermione crossed her arms and her right hand went to her chin as she bit her bottom lip thoughtfully. It was really cold tonight, but the warming charm on her cloak managed to keep her comfortable. She stared down over the edge of the roof and watched as a group of teenagers laughed and threw snowballs at one another. She couldn't help but smile at their innocence, while part of her felt a small twinge of regret. She couldn't remember a time where she had ever felt that carefree. She'd always been so driven, and now she felt as though she might have missed out.

"It's so cold."

Hermione turned, broken out of her thoughts by the whiny complaints from Hannah Abbott who sat shivering next to Susan Bones, who was also shivering.

"We told you to cast warming charms." Tracey Davis replied callously.

"We didn't think we'd be sitting out here so long." Susan replied snarkily. "It's kind of rude for him to keep us waiting like this."

"And I told all of you that he might not show up when he sees all of us out here. I'm not able to reply when he sends me notes. They just appear." Hermione said in a soft calm voice, though she was feeling quite irritated. Tracey, Hannah, Susan, Mandy Brocklehurst and Lisa Turpin had all insisted in coming to the roof with her so they could meet the vigilante after Hermione had told them he was going to meet with her. She had argued that he was only expecting to see her, and that he might not feel comfortable with all of them. If she was being honest, she actually wanted to meet with him by herself because it he had come to her first. He had shown a trust in her, and she coveted that.

There was also that really nagging part of her brain that held a bit of a romantic fantasy that someone so dangerous could…

"Stop it." She told herself turning away from the others to hide her rising blush. "I don't even know who he is. He could be the killer!"

"How long should we wait?" Lisa asked, and Hermione could only shrug. The blonde crossed the roof and stood next to Hermione, and followed her gaze down to the kids in the street below.

"I was never any good at snowball fights." The blonde admitted. "At least not until I learned how to use a banishment charm on them. Even then, I wasn't very good at aiming."

Hermione gave the smallest of shrugs. "I was never involved in one. To busy reading my books. I'm starting to think that I missed a lot."

"That's what happens when you never bother to look up." Lisa replied. "If it wasn't for Mandy, I might have missed out on more too. She made sure I didn't spend too much time in the library or studying potions and anatomy."

"You want to be a healer?" Hermione asked, turning slightly to look at Lisa.

"I got put on the waiting list because someone scored one point higher than me in their potions NEWTs. One point. But they said I would be the first next year. So I've been spending all my time I wasn't working at the apothecary studying. I was going to make sure I was top of my class. And Mandy was making sure that I didn't miss out too much on life while I prepared. And then all this started."

"At least you have someone who cares." Hermione shrugged. "I kept people at a distance, so I never had any close friends. Tracey's my best friend, and I didn't even know her until a few months ago when we started working together. The only reason she knows me as well as she does is because she sort of forced her way into my life. Turns out we're more alike than even she realized."

"It's too bad we held up house loyalty so much while we were at Hogwarts." Lisa sighed.

Quite suddenly the street lights went dark. The single light above the roof access door went out as well. However, the blanket of snow kept the girls from being shrouded in complete blackness. Hermione heard a couple of the girls give small shrieks of terror, and Traccey shouted for them to get their wands.

"Wait." Hermione said quickly as she scanned their surroundings. She stopped when she found what, or rather who she was looking for. "He's here."

He was perched on the roof of the access door, his arms resting on his knees like some sort of gothic gargoyle statue. All the girls turned and stared at him with trepidation. Hermione stepped forward getting a better look at the vigilante. She thanked the heavens that she could see him better thanks to the snow. She still couldn't see much, but she made out the quiver of arrows on his back and the bow slung over his shoulder. She thought briefly that it was a strange choice of weaponry especially in the magical world.

"It's been a while." Hermione said. the others were a bit more cautious, and Hermione thought she saw Hannah start to reach out for her. "I was beginning to think I wasn't going to see you again."

"My apologies, I've been rather busy." Came the eerie chorus of voices. Hermione found herself genuinely smiling at the sound. "I didn't expect you to have company."

"They insisted." She replied.

"I remembered you being taller." Hannah said, and the hood turned to regard her.

"We were pretty drunk." Susan smiled apologetically.

"You never gave me the chance to thank you for what you did for me." Lisa said, her voice shaking. The hood turned and Lisa wondered if he was smiling or frowning, or if he even had a face at all. "I was really scared that night, and if you hadn't shown up. I hate to think of what might have happened to me."

"I take it then you all have the mark?" the hood asked.

"Actually I don't." The red head said holding up a hand. "But I'm not going to let Hannah face this alone."

"She won't." The hood said. At this he stood, and stepped off the small roof landing with the barest hint of a sound. Hermione wondered if he had silencing charms on his boots. He stepped forward, reaching into his jacket. He pulled a few scraps of paper out which he held out to Hermione.

"You are all in this together. The mark unites you as Oigh Ban-dia." He said, the voices echoing around them. The girls were silent for a moment, looking at each other as if one of them might understand what they just been told.

"Oggy Ban whatsit now?" Tracey asked with a confused look.

"Oigh Ban-dia." Hermione said, and they all looked to her. She was reading the top piece of paper. "It translates to Virgin Priestesses."

"From what little I've managed to discover," The black hooded man said, causing the girls to turn back to him. "According to what I've found, when brought together these witches can accomplish amazing feats of magic. I also believe that it is for this very reason you are being hunted. Lord Voldemort wants to siphon your magic for himself. But now that you've found each other, I think you can find a way to stop him."

"Wait, aren't you going to help us?" Lisa asked, looking afraid. "You're not going to just leave us…"

"I promise that I will continue to watch out for you." The chorus said softly, and the girls all relaxed a little. "But I can't watch over you all the time. I need to find Voldemort, and I have to watch for any others who he might try and take. I've given you something to start with. It's now up to you to find out what to do next."

At this the black clad figure began walking forward. The girls started to follow him until he reached the edge of the roof and turned back towards them.

"If I learn anything more, I will contact you." He said and started to back away when Lisa reached out to try and stop him. Tracey and Hermione also made moves to stop him.

"What if we need you?" Lisa asked quickly. "How do we contact you if we need your help?"

At this the man in black stopped. He thought for a moment and the reached into his jacket. When he pulled his hand out again, the girls all gaped as his hand was now glowing a soft gold. Quickly the light faded and he opened his gloved hand and held it out to Lisa who was closest.

"Tap it with your wand, and I will be here as soon as I can be." He said. Lisa accepted what turned out to be a small coin, smaller than a galleon, and looked to be made of brass. In the cent a triangle was cut out and there was writing around it but Lisa didn't recognize it.

"What are we supposed to call you?" Tracey asked. The other girls stared at the black hooded vigilante, all with curious and hopeful expressions. There was a pause as the hood seemed to mull the question over. Lisa found herself glancing at the other girls wondering if they were as anxious to know the man's name as she was. The man who had saved her life, and was even now helping them all to survive.

"You can call me Phoenix." And with that, he leaned back and fell off the side of Hermione's building. The girls rushed forward gasping and calling out as they all tried to reach him and stop him from falling only to become silent the moment they reached the edge and saw that he had disappeared.

"Ok," Hannah began with obvious delight. "That was really cool."

Tracey nodded in agreement. The witches lingered for a moment and then as one they turned to go back inside, walking towards the roof access door in silence until Susan stopped and looked at them all with a look of utter befuddlement on her face.

"Wait a minute." The redhead said and the other girls turned to her. "You said Virgin Priestesses. Does that mean you're all virgins? How, how is that possible?"


	13. Chapter 13

13\. "I'm Very Unimpressed."

Hermione stepped into her flat followed by Tracey, Mandy, Lisa, Hannah and Susan, who shut the door behind her still looking at the others in a mix of speculation and disbelief.

"Seriously, how is it possible?" She asked again, looking at each girl in turn. None of them looked pleased by Susan's questioning, and appeared as if they wanted to be anywhere else at that moment.

"You're all hot, and you must have had boyfriends. Hannah, I know for a fact that you and Ernie had sex after we won the Quidditch Cup in sixth year." Susan pressed.

"I lied." Hannah said, looking mortified. Susan gaped at her best friend as Hannah slumped into a chair and took a deep calming breath before looking into her best friend's eyes with an apologetic expression. "Sorry Suze. I should have told you, but I just…"

Hannah shrugged.

"But he told everyone that you…" Susan began, looking hurt and a little angry as well. Hannah gave her friend an appreciative smile.

"Ernie was really drunk," Hannah brushed a lock of blonde hair behind her left ear and she stared at the floor as she spoke. "And he couldn't get things going. He was really embarrassed and I felt bad for him, so I let him say whatever he wanted. Afterwards, I kind of liked all the boys chasing after me because they thought they might get in my knickers, so I just let everyone believe that Ernie and I had done it. Then Neville and I got together, and I thought I might actually do it with him, but he was too much of a gentleman or was waiting until we got married, or whatever his reasoning for not taking things too far."

"Is that why you broke up with him?" Hermione asked. "He was crushed when you dumped him."

"I broke up with him because I wanted to be free for a while. I wanted to be young and crazy and wild. Neville was going on his world trip and I thought maybe if he got out there and met a bunch of women he might get a bit of education. Then, maybe we might try again in a few years." Hannah explained. Hermione looked rather sour but as she knew it wasn't really any of her business, and she wasn't Hannah's mother, or even her friend, she didn't really feel that it was her place to say anything.

"Wow." Susan looked impressed. "I can't believe you managed to keep it secret, especially from me. What about the rest of you. Well, Hermione we all know why you…"

"I could have easily wasted my educational career in pursuit of meaningless flings in broom cupboards if I had wanted." Hermione said hotly. Her arms were folded across her chest in defiance and Susan actually flinched under her glare. "But I chose to focus on my academics because I wanted to do something with my life."

"Calm down Hermione." Lisa said, glowering at Susan.

"I had more important things to do than boys." Hermione said.

"Or girls." Hannah said.

"What?" Hermione's eyes bulged.

"Well, no one ever saw you with a boy, except for the Yule Ball in fourth year, and a lot of people thought it was because you liked girls." Susan shrugged. "Not that there's anything wrong with that."

"I'm not gay!" Hermione protested. "I've been seeing Roger Davies for…"

"Didn't he dump you after that Charity ball and the Death Eater attack?" Tracey interjected, and Hermione turned cold eyes on her friend who clearly looked like she regretted saying anything.

"But you haven't slept with him?" Mandy asked.

"It's none of your business!" Hermione shouted.

"Isn't it?" Mandy countered. "I mean, we're in this because we're all virgins, right?"

"What about you two." Susan asked, pointing to Mandy and Lisa. "How have you two managed to remain pure?"

"I didn't date a lot at Hogwarts, and kind of wanted to wait until I was married." Mandy shrugged, though she looked uncomfortable. "I know it's old fashioned, but I just didn't want my first time to be rushed in a broom cupboard."

"I didn't want that either." Hermione muttered, still stinging from the assumption that she preferred witches to wizards. The others seemed to ignore her as they turned to Lisa who could feel her face turning red.

"I came close during our last year, before Halloween. Anthony and I had been dating for a year and a half. But we were caught by the head boy and girl in the Prefect's bathroom, probably because they had the same idea. Anthony and I broke up a few weeks later and he started dating Parvati Patil."

"Gods you were so miserable after that. I remember staying up with you while you cried while the rest of our dorm slept." Mandy said, thinking of how horrible Lisa had been to be around after the breakup.

"Do you guys think that because we're these priestess things that that's why we haven't had sex. Or have we not had sex because we're these priestess things?" Hannah asked.

"That doesn't make sense." Tracey scoffed.

"I understand what she's saying." Hermione said, before Hannah could retort.

"I do, too." Lisa nodded. "Hannah and I were both ready to do it but didn't manage to make it happen. Mandy and Hermione made the choice not to. What about you Tracey?"

"I'm like you and Hannah." Tracey replied, looking away. "Wanted to, but things didn't go my way."

"So, if we wanted to do it, but couldn't, then it might be a case of the mark working to prevent us from having sex." Lisa began and Tracey nodded.

"But if we made the choice to remain pure, it could be because of the mark. Like it affects our choices somehow in order to remain unsullied. Okay, I get it." Tracey concluded.

"So what happens if we do lose our virginity?" Mandy asked. "I mean, if we all just went out and did it…"

"We don't know enough right now to know if that's a good idea either way." Hermione said with a grim look. "We don't know anything yet, except that this mark unites us and says that we're supposed to be one of these priestesses or whatever. There are too many questions right now. Like, why didn't these marks show up sooner?"

"You mean while we were at school?" Mandy asked. Hermione nodded.

"Why are we supposed to be these priestesses? What unites us? Is there some other factor other than circumstance or personal choice that has kept us pure? What kind of power do we have? And most importantly, who are the others?"

"Hermione's right." Lisa nodded, brushing a lock of silken blonde hair behind her ear. "We really know nothing about who or what we are."

"What does it say on that note arrow boy gave you?" Tracey asked Hermione.

Hermione held up the folded paper that Phoenix had given her for Tracey to look at. The auburn haired girl took it and read it aloud to everyone. They all listened intently as if they might hear something the others might miss. When she finished, Tracey looked up and saw the other girls looking as disappointed as she felt.

"That's it?" Susan asked. "All it says it what you are, but nothing about what you can do or what kind of power you might have or anything?"

"But it does tell us that there are supposed to be thirteen of us." Lisa pointed out. "And that there have been at least one coven before, which means that there has to be some information somewhere about them. The two of you work in the records department of the Ministry, you might be able to learn who else was in that coven."

"Actually, I think it's more important for us to try and find out who the others are." Hermione sighed. "There are potentially nine more of us out there, and we all know that we were born in 1979. So we need to find any other girls born that year, and find out if they have the mark."

"That's a lot of girls." Susan said with despair.

"I think we can narrow our search to girls who went to Hogwarts." Hermione said. "If we find nothing there, then we can figure out how to expand our search."

"And that's assuming that we're all still alive." Lisa pointed out. "Remember those girls who've been found by the Aurors? They could have been marked."

"The Aurors were pretty interested in the marks when Lisa and I showed them after Lisa was attacked." Mandy agreed.

"How are we going to find the others?" Hannah asked with concern.

"I can ask Professor McGonagall for help." Hermione said as she went to her little writing desk and began crafting a letter. "And I think we should assume that we're being watched by Death Eaters who are just waiting to grab us again."

"While Hermione is trying to track down the others, the rest of us should try and find out all we can about what an Oigh Ban-dia is and what they can do. The sooner we know that, the sooner we might find out how we can protect ourselves." Lisa suggested.

The others agreed, and it wasn't long after that that they began going their separate ways with the agreement that they would meet again in a week to share anything they had learned.

* * *

The fire flared to life in a violent flash of green as Pansy Parkinson stumbled out of the fireplace and fell to her knees. With a shriek of rage she flung her expensive high heeled boots across the room before she doubled over and tried to keep herself from retching.

After a few moments she felt she had herself under control enough to cross the room to where her father had kept his best liquors. She opened the cabinet and took an unopened bottle of Ogden's finest, removed the cork and took a long pull off of it. The amber liquid burned her throat, but Pansy didn't care. At the moment, all she wanted was to drink until she passed out.

She had accomplished exactly what she had set out to do, and managed to discover the location and method by which to enter the Dark Lord's private chambers. But now that she had done it, she felt overwhelmed with self-loathing. She couldn't remember ever feeling so wretched. With another long pull from her whisky, Pansy started up the stairs, trying to tear her dress off as she made her way to the bathroom where she turn the water on scalding hot.

When she managed to get out of her clothing, Pansy grabbed the bottle from the counter and practically poured it down her throat as she did her best to wash the taste of both Peter Pettigrew and Lucius Malfoy out of her mouth. Still gripping her now half empty bottle of whisky, Pansy got into the shower, hissing at the temperature of the magically heated water.

As the scalding water poured down on her, nearly peeling away her skin, Pansy could still feel their hands on her. Stroking her hair and cupping her breasts as they used her mouth. As she remembered their moments of completion, Pansy bent and vomited in the shower.

She fell to her knees and began to cry. Pansy lay there under the searing deluge, yet she was numb to the pain as her body shook from her sobs.

It took some time, but the dark haired teen finally began to settle down. Slowly she reached up and shut off the water, though she remained lying in the fetal position for several more minutes.

Her flesh was scorched red and she now had quite a few blisters from the scalding water. Gingerly, Pansy finally got herself out of the tub and painfully crawled to her wand. Over many long, painful minutes she healed all of her skin with her wand, her mind numb as she chanted the spell over and over. The young woman returned to the tub for the rest of the whisky only to find it had been watered down so bad from her shower that it was really just water.

She let out a deep sigh and walked naked back downstairs. The traumatized teen got another bottle and began to drink as she went back up again to the study, stopping off in her bedroom to procure a dressing gown.

Pansy sat down heavily in the chair behind the desk, and pulled a small pile of notes she had written. She found the page she was looking for, grabbed the quill from the ink well, and jotted down everything she had learned tonight before she forgot it all. Pansy's memory was extremely good, but she planned on getting black out drunk tonight in order to forget everything she did and had allowed to be been done to her. She wished, for what felt like the thousandth time, that she could obliviate herself the way she had Malfoy and Pettigrew earlier.

Still, there was something to be said for the fact that her plan had worked. Once she had performed on each man, they had let their guard down enough that she had been able to use the imperius curse and get the information out of each, and then obliviated them and sent them on their way. Peter proved far too easy, but Lucius' mind had been stronger, and though he did succumb, he didn't go down without a fight. Fortunately for Pansy, her will was stronger than his, though there was a moment where she feared that all of her plans would end had she not prevailed.

Double checking herself against her notes, and finding them satisfactory, Pansy took several long pulls from her bottle before rising and heading into her bedroom. She could feel the whisky beginning to work, and smiled sadly. She crawled into her bed and forced herself to think about something else.

Her plan was sound, and she had even managed to put together a backup plan. There were still things that needed tending too, most importantly where she would go. She didn't like the idea of running for the rest of her life, though once she sold off everything left in the house and the house itself, she was sure she'd have the money to keep moving if she had too. But she didn't fancy that idea.

Then there was the fact that she hadn't been able to stop thinking about the Longbottom scion. Ever since she'd seen him in Diagon Alley, she hadn't been able to get him out of her mind. She had even written half a letter to him before chucking it into the fire, and crying herself silly. She wasn't a fairy tale princess, and there was no happy ending for her.

And yet, even as she lay on her bed with alcohol coursing through her, she couldn't help but imagine what kind of lover Neville Longbottom might be. By all accounts, he'd been extremely nice and kind in Hogwarts. In the last two years he'd become increasingly confident, not to mention stunningly handsome. Pansy wanted someone like that.

She wanted someone strong and kind. Someone who would hold her and make her feel that there was no place safer in the world than in his arms. Someone who wouldn't judge her for the things she had to do in order to survive. It was her greatest hope that one day she could find that. And it was all she had to hold onto as with each passing day, she felt her time was running out.

* * *

Augustus Rookwood stumbled slightly out of the pub and leaned against the wall for a moment to light up a smoke. He peered about in general disgust, grumbling softly about how the best pub in all of England was in this filthy little muggle village. He vowed to himself again that he would learn how Muggles made such good spirits, cultivate their secrets and make millions of galleons in the magical world after the Dark Lord took over.

Wrapping his long coat around himself to activate the warming charm, Rookwood headed out into the snow, making his way out of the village. He didn't really know why he didn't just apparate then and there, but he was a creature of habit.

The Death Eater glowered at the houses he passed. He really hated Christmas. He hated the decorations and the lights on the houses and the Nativity scenes. Idly he entertained the thought of burning down every house with a wreath on the door, or those stupid inflatable reindeer in the garden. With a contemptuous smile he flicked his lit cigarette at a plastic snowman, hoping it would melt the damned thing.

Rookwood reached the edge of the village and turned around, wondering again why he had to come to such horrid places to get a decent drink. He was about to apparate when he felt something hit him in the chest and knock him backwards into a snowbank. His arms were pinned to his sides, and something was wrapped around his chest, constricting his breathing. Grunting and cursing, the disgruntled man managed to get himself into a sitting position where he could take in his situation. He was wrapped in a thin black cord that tightened whenever he moved. Strangely, when he remained still, it felt as if it was loosening. He also saw an arrow on the ground nearby, and his mind began to work.

He'd heard the stories from some of his fellow Death Eaters. There were rumors coming out of the Auror Department, and at least two of the younger recruits had seen the subject of those rumors first-hand. Someone out there fancied himself a hero.

Rookwood began scanning his surroundings, a humorous smirk on his grizzled face. He didn't have to look long, as a thin figure dressed in black was walking towards him, a bow and quiver of arrows slung on his back. Rookwood began to laugh softly.

"Nice get up." He said, when the figure was close enough. "You'll look good buried in it."

"Threats." Came the ethereal response. Rookwood found himself giving an involuntary shiver at the sound and narrowed his eyes as he got a good look at his new enemy. "Every one of your fellows I've met has threatened to do me serious harm, and nearly every one of them ended up dead. The ones who didn't ran like cowards. I'm very unimpressed."

"Unlike my fellows, I can back up what I say." Rookwood growled.

The figure in black knelt in front of him, and Rookwood stifled a gasp as he stared into the void where a face should have been. He hated to admit it, but it was a really effective bit of concealment, and it went a long way to setting someone on edge. Rookwood wasn't easily shaken, but this was something different. He was only settled by reminding himself that this was just a guy in a really well put together suit.

"I have questions, Augustus." The voices said softly. "I would very much appreciate it if you gave me answers."

"I won't say shit to you and there's nothing you can do to make me." the bound Death Eater chuckled. "I've been tortured by the best there is, and I've got an extremely high threshold for pain. And just in case you're thinking of using Legilimency on me, I'm a master Occlumens."

"I'm aware that torture won't work." The figure said, his head lowering slightly as if this fact upset him. "At least, not physically anyway."

Rookwood looked puzzled as the figure's hands shot out and grabbed his head. He could feel cold leather gloves on his temples, and then he felt something invading his mind. He quickly closed his mental shields and gritted his teeth as he felt the pressure increasing.

And then he began to see things. No, not things… people.

He was sitting in the snow with this bastards hands on either side of his head, and there were people coming towards them. They were coming from all around them. His mind seemed to strain with questions. Did this guy bring an army? Who were these people? What did they want?

And then Rookwood saw one of them from over his captor's shoulder, and a chill ran up his spine. She looked just as beautiful as she had on that evening nearly nineteen years ago when he'd taken her. In fact, she was wearing the very same pink nightgown. It was torn, just as he'd torn it to get inside of her. Her eyes were red and puffy as if she'd been crying, just as she'd cried when he'd…

Then he turned away from her and saw him. Just as he'd been two years ago when Rookwood has invaded his little house, and butchered his young daughter and made him watch. There were bruises on his face from where Rookwood had beaten him. And the gash in his throat from where Rookwood had opened it with his wand.

All of them were there. Every single one of his victims were coming towards him. But Rookwood couldn't understand it. They weren't inferi. They all looked healthy. Well, except for the wounds he'd inflicted upon them. And they were slowly getting closer.

"What is this?" Rookwood asked, panic rising in his voice. "How are you doing this?"

And then they were gone. Rookwood was still sitting in the snow, and the figure in black was still kneeling in front of him.

"I know who you are, Augustus Rookwood." The strange chorus of voices spoke softly. "I know you are a man who prides himself on his mind, and his cleverness. I know that of all your fellows, you are one of the few not to be underestimated. I know how much trouble the Aurors have had in capturing you. They say you are a man full of surprises and tricks. Which is why if you don't answer my questions, I will take great pleasure in tearing your mind apart."

"How could you even do that?" Rookwood asked, actually fearful now. The vision had been too real. He could smell the sweat and blood of the ghosts of his victims.

"I've no time to explain the intricacies of mental warfare to you." The figure said, and Rookwood thought he could detect a hint of smugness in the strange chorus of voices. "Suffice it to say that the mind is a many layered and complicated thing, with thousands of points of attack. While you're protecting you're secrets, I can tell your brain to stop your heart, or convince your cerebellum that you can't walk anymore, or, as you just saw, manipulate your subconscious into believing your victims have come for revenge."

"Fine." Rookwood spat. "Ask your questions."

He knew that he was not going to defeat his foe at the moment. He was at a clear disadvantage, and he had been right. Rookwood did pride himself on his resourcefulness. And right now, he needed his enemy focused on his head, and not his hands.

"Where is Voldemort hiding?" The voices asked.

"I can't tell you that." Rookwood smirked. The figure began to reach out again and Rookwood flinched. "Stop! You fucking moron, I can't tell you because I don't know! It's hidden. No one knows the location. We can only get there by using the Dark Mark on our arms. It's like a portkey that takes us to his location."

"That's rather clever." The strange voices replied. "Then why don't you tell me about the girls."

"What girls?" Rookwood replied with exasperation.

The figure in black reached out again and grabbed Rookwood's head. The bound man began to feel itching on his skin. All over his skin. And he could hear a strange sound. Clicking and rustling. And then began the biting and stinging. The captive wizard cast his eyes down and he saw thousands of insects. They were all over him. Crawling and creeping on his clothing. They were on his skin under his clothes. Crawling everywhere. He began to shake and twist, trying to get them off. His arms were still bound and he couldn't wipe them away. They were climbing higher and higher. He felt them in his nose, mouth and ears.

He tried to yank himself away but he was being held quite firmly by the sinister figure. Rookwood tried to tell himself that it was all a trick. His mind was being attacked, and he tried to use his Occlumency to fight it off, but he couldn't detect a presence. He was also very distracted by the sensations of countless insects crawling all over him. Biting and stinging and burrowing into his flesh. He felt them on his eyes and could see them about to dig into his eyeballs.

"ENOUGH!" He shouted, and then it was all over. Despite the chill, Rookwood was sweating badly. He stared hard into the void under the hood, panting heavily.

"The Oigh Ban-dia." The voice spoke. "Why does he want them? What are they to him?"

Rookwood's eyes widened and he now began to wonder about his captor. He was far too informed and extremely dangerous.

"I don't know who you are, but I do know that the Dark Lord is going to make you suffer a thousand lifetimes worth of torture." Rookwood said, still panting.

"The girls, Rookwood." The voice said, clearly becoming agitated.

"He's taking their power for himself." Rookwood scowled. "We'd never heard of them before. None of us. But he told us that when he found them all, he would become like no other wizard in history. He was near death. We thought he was going to die for real this time, and then… that first girl healed him. He had wounds that wouldn't close until he took her. His nose, his nose began to reform, and his skin started losing its reptilian look. He was becoming human again. Just from one."

"Oi! Rookwood! Where are you?"

The hooded figure turned, and Rookwood began to laugh. The hooded head turned back and Rookwood imagined a look of fearful confusion on a stupid face as he continued to cackle.

"Next time you may want to make sure that I can't reach my Dark Mark." Rookwood chortled. "Not only does it work like a portkey, but it also has the ability to call our master for help. The Dark Lord values his followers, and he's going to know all about you."

"There!"

The figure in black barely had a second to dodge as five fiery red spells blasted the spot he'd been only a breath ago. Rookwood's mirth disappeared instantly.

"Watch it you bastards!" He shouted. "You nearly hit me! Get me out of this thing!"

One of the Death Eaters ran to Rookwood's aid while the other four continued to attack the vigilante. They kept him dodging so he was unable to free his bow, and they kept up the assault so all he could do was evade their attacks. Rookwood watched as his ally tried cutting at the cord that bound him and he was the first to notice that the Death Eaters were falling into a trap.

"Get us out of here." Rookwood said over his shoulder. "Get us out of here now."

"I've almost got it." His cohort said.

"We can get it off later, get us out of here now!" Rookwood demanded.

There came a loud scream, and Rookwood and his partner looked up in time to see one of the other four crumbling to the ground as smoke billowed from his robes. Blood was pooling around his feet, and his clothing was sizzling and burning. Strips of flesh began to fall off and land with thick slapping sounds. Rookwood felt his stomach turn as he watched a fellow Death Eater literally melt before his eyes.

Then the captive man stared in horror as the vigilante sent a hideous yellow spell from his open hand into a second Death Eater whose body began to contort and bend in on itself. Bones cracked loudly and the victim shrieked in agony.

"GET US OUT OF HERE NOW!" Rookwood demanded, and he felt his cohort grab his shoulder and then the familiar sensation of being squeezed through a tube.

The other two Death Eaters clearly felt that Rookwood had the right idea and apparated away as well, leaving the vigilante alone with a tight ball that had once been a human man, and a puddle of viscera that smelled terribly and was still smoking.

"Alright," Harry said grimly. "Now I'm impressed."

He waved his open hand and the remains of his two foes disappeared. There was no need for one of the muggles in the nearby village to come across the remains. He was pleased that the silencing ward he'd placed up kept Rookwood's shouts and screams from being heard. The last thing he had needed was for the police to show up. And it had likely bought him a bit of time before the other Death Eaters had found them.

Harry bent and collected the mask of the Death Eater who'd become a human knot. He flipped it over and looked inside, but there was nothing to tell him who it had belonged to. Still, the Aurors might be able to identify it, and he had something to pass on to Auror Tonks that she needed to know.

With a final look around, Harry sighed and turned, disappearing without a sound. After making a couple more apparitions, walking a ways from each point to throw off being trailed, he reappeared on the roof of one of his neighbors. Quickly he moved across the rooftops and leapt through the window of his armory. With a wave of his hand the window shut and Harry pulled back his hood with a sigh.

He took his bow from his back and placed it in its stand. He pulled all of his arrows out and organized them on the table under his bow before slipping his quiver off and placing it on its peg on the wall. He then removed the Death Eater mask from inside his jacket and held it up to the light, turning it in his hands again, hoping for some kind of identification.

"Revelio." He said, waving his right hand over the back. He saw a strange shimmer above the eye slits and he turned the mask again, hoping to see something more, but there was nothing.

Harry turned when he heard the door open, and Remus poked his head inside.

"Ah, I thought I heard you up here." The older man smiled pleasantly.

"I thought you'd be asleep." Harry said. "Isn't the Wizengamot discussing that new bill about allowing Muggleborns better opportunities in the magical workforce?"

"They are." Remus nodded, entering the armory fully. "But all I do is sit there. Sirius will be the one who gets to make remarks. What's that?"

"Death Eater mask." Harry said, offering it to Remus. "Rookwood managed to call for reinforcements before I was able to ask much."

"That explains while you're back so soon." Remus noted. "You weren't gone that long. Who was this?"

"I was hoping you might be able to tell me. I never got a look at who was behind it. I sort of tied him up."

Remus gave the young man a questioning look and Harry shrugged. Remus decided that he probably didn't want to know. He looked at the mask for a moment before looking back to Harry and giving him a shrug of his own. "I assume you used Revelio?"

Harry nodded. "There's something above the eyes on the inside. Some kind of charm that shimmered when I used it."

"Interesting." Remus said, looking at the mask again. "Did you learn anything new from Rookwood?"

"Not really, but I did get confirmation that Voldemort is using the girls to heal himself, and apparently to grow more powerful." Harry grunted as he began to strip off his armor piece by piece. "Which means it's important that we find the other girls."

"Then you may want to think about protecting the girls you found." Remus pointed out. "It won't be long before the Death Eaters try and take them again, and now that they're together, it might even be easier to abduct them in one attack."

Harry stopped short and seemed to mull this over. He looked around the armory thoughtfully for a moment before fixing Remus with a look.

"It might be a good idea to get Auror Tonks to suggest the girls all be placed under Auror protection." Harry said grimly.


	14. Chapter 14

14.

Marietta Edgecombe stared at her reflection, trembling with fear and rage at what she saw in the mirror. She had no idea how long she'd been held captive. It felt like months but she had no way to know for sure. The room she'd been trapped in had no window and there was nothing in which she could count the passage of time.

As she stared in horror at what had become of her, she remembered waking that first time in the cold bare stone room with no clothing and no idea what had happened to her. She had sat in the corner of that room sobbing, and waiting for the inevitable rape and torture.

But it never came.

The next time she had been visited by Bellatrix Lestrange she had been stunned. When she awoke, she found herself in this room. There had been a note telling her that she was to keep herself clean and to eat all the food she was provided. There had been no clothing, and Marietta had taken to wrapping herself in a blanket. But she had obeyed the note and bathed and ate.

Then she had been visited again by Bellatrix LeStrange who had brought a large basket of lotions and scented oils. She had also provided Marietta with a silken dressing gown. It was short, and barely covered her, but it was clothing, and Marietta coveted it.

When she had awoken after that visit, she had noticed more tattoos. And each tome after that, more and more of her flesh was marked with runic writing, until she was covered with them.

Marietta had only just awoken moments ago and had come to the bathroom to see what had happened during the last time she'd been unconscious. She could barely breathe now as she cried. Her face was now tattooed. She held up her hands and stared at them to avoid her reflection now. Everywhere she looked there were the tattoos.

To make matters worse, Marietta didn't feel right. She felt light headed and hungry. The young redhead forcibly turned away from the mirror and went into the main room of her cell and found the normal platter of food. There was a fine roast chicken and vegetables and mashed potatoes. Yet one sniff of the normally delicious food left her nauseous.

Deciding that she wouldn't eat, she poured some tea for herself and drank it down greedily. This only increased her dizziness, and made her body start to tingle, especially between her legs. It was the same felling she used to get when she lay awake at night in her own bed thinking of Michael, and wishing he were there with her…

Realization hit her, and she threw the teacup, shattering it against the wall. She'd been dosed with something. Some kind of lust serum or something. Though it didn't really make sense to her. From what she knew of lust potions, they should be keyed to an individual and she should have been unable to think of anything but that person. Yet her mind seem to be hers and hers alone. She was able to think rationally, or at least she was pretty sure she was. However her body was clearly in heat. Her nipples stood erect, and she could not stop clenching her thighs together in an attempt to scratch that very primal itch.

It wasn't too much longer after Marietta realized she had been dosed with a potion that the door opened and a woman entered at Marietta had not seen before. She was tall, and elegant with silken blonde hair and a haughty look. She fixed Marietta with an appraising look with stony blue eyes. Marietta realized that she was naked and made to cover herself while she looked about for her robe.

"There is no need to cover yourself." The woman spoke quickly, stopping Marietta from moving. The woman came forward and took Marietta's hands and moved the younger girl's arms away from her body, admiring the redhead's body. "My sister has done a wonderful job. You look absolutely splendid."

Marietta shivered and tried to pull away but the woman held her firm. She made Marietta spin slowly, still holding onto her left wrist.

"What have you done to me?" Marietta demanded in a shaky voice, as tears began to sting her eyes again. She turned herself so she was looking at the older witch who was actually smiling pleasantly. "I've done everything you asked. I've obeyed every command. You said you'd let me go!"

"You were told that you would be set free." The woman corrected. "And tonight you shall be."

"What?" Marietta asked stupidly, clearly confused now.

"You have but one task to accomplish, and then you will be set free like your sisters before you." The woman said, offering a hand.

"What sisters?" Marietta asked.

"Come." The woman said, her hand still held out." It is time, and we mustn't keep the master waiting. It would be best if you came on your own."

Marietta caught the warning tone and hesitated despite desperately wanting to be set free. She missed her mother and father, and she wanted to get out of here and return home where she knew she was safe.

But she didn't say you'd get to go home, Marietta's inner voice screamed.

"I want to go home." Marietta whined, stepping away from the woman who dropped her hand and looked disappointed. She then motioned to the two Death Eaters who quickly gathered a kicking and squirming and screaming Marietta up and followed the woman out of the room.

Marietta shrieked and fought, but the two Death Eaters had iron vice like grips on her and easily were able to carry her despite her twisting and writhing. She didn't bother taking in her surroundings or listen to the woman who was keeping up a running dialogue of what awaited her and how she would be forever remembered for her sacrifice. She was far too busy trying to get her toes to touch the ground so that she might make an escape, but her captors kept her feet out of reach of the floor.

Eventually they stopped and Marietta was set on the floor, though the two robed captors kept their hands grasped on her arms.

It was a circular room lined with robed and masked figures. In the center was a large bed and standing just behind the bed was a man in a loose fitting black robe.

His gleaming bald head was unnaturally white and his face was slender and sunken. His nose looked as if it had been scooped out of his face, though there was no blood. He smiled a lipless smile and bade her forward with a skeleton like hand.

"Come forward my priestess." Came a rattling hoarse voice.

Marietta shook her head and tried to back away but the two who'd brought her prevented her from running away.

"The moon rises my priestess, the ritual must begin now, or we shall have to wait another month. Come to me." The thing said.

Marietta was dragged towards the bed and despite their brutishness the Death Eaters lay her reverently upon the black silken sheets. Her wrists were bound tightly and then her ankles followed. She was now fully exposed before them all. She was breathing in panicked gasps as she glanced about, looking for anyone who might help her.

"Take your places my faithful and prepare to bear witness." The malformed thing spoke in that cold rattling voice. He then turned to Marietta and gave her look that chilled her to her very core as he shrugged off his robes and she saw him fully.

He was a ruin of a man. His pale white skin was stretched tightly over his skeleton, his bones clearly visible. There were many bruises and angry looking burns all over his body along with several open wounds that were oozing pus. There wasn't a single hair on the body, nor were there lips on the mouth, our ears on the head, or lids on the eyes.

It, because she refused to call this thing a man, despite the very obvious erection it now had, began to chant and circle the bed. One by one the followers who lined the wall began to repeat the chant, and Marietta felt a strange tugging sensation all over her body. It also felt as though thousands of tiny insects were now crawling up her body.

Worse still was that she noted her body betraying her. She began to feel moisture between her legs. Panic gripped her heart as the thing having circled the bed thirteen times now stood at the foot of the bed staring into her eyes.

The sensation of insects crawling on her intensified, and she began to fight against her restraints and whimper in protest. The chanting continued and the man shaped thing began to crawl onto the bed and on top of her. Marietta began to scream and writhe as the thing came level with her and she could feel its erection pressing into her. As it stared into her eyes, she felt the insects biting her. Thousands of miniscule creatures sinking their teeth or pincers or whatever they had into her flesh.

"Your power, your life is now mine priestess." the thing snarled just as he sank himself deep within her.

Marietta screamed out as the chanting rose in pitch and she felt her flesh being torn apart by insects. She then saw a red mist rising from the bed and realized as she looked at her arm and could see it coming out of her pores. It was her own blood being extracted from her.

Her mind was spinning. She had no clue as to what was happening to her. As she watched in terrified fascination, she could feel herself becoming tired… weaker. At the same time she felt the beast thrusting deeper into her.

"Please." Marietta begged. "Please."

Her pleas fell on deaf ears as the beast increased his thrusting and more of the red mist was extracted from her pores. Marietta felt light headed now as she choked down a sob. She knew then that she was going to die. That's what the woman had meant when she said the Marietta would be set free.

Marietta began to feel cold now as more and more of the red mist was pulled from her and she noted that swirled above her and the thing that was violating her. But it wasn't just swirling it was coming back down again, and she noted with disgust that it was entering the skeletal beast through his open wounds.

She then looked in petrified fascination that something was happening to the beast. Its raw red flesh bubbled softly. She could also see around its mouth the skin was plumping a bit, as if sacs were filling and forming what might be considered lips. Also, its left eye seemed to be clearing. The red was ebbing away and a hint of white was appearing.

But then her own vision was darkening, and she was growing more and more tired, and her body was getting colder. Her strength was leaving her and all she could think of now was her mother, who had no idea where she was or what was happening to her daughter.

"Mummy." Marietta said weakly. She heard the beast grunting but it sounded a million miles away. She tried to focus on the ceiling which was open and the moon shone down directly on her. She was so tired now and she couldn't fight sleep any longer.

"It is done." Came a single voice from among the followers lining the wall.

The man thing slid off the bed and let out a long exhale. The red mist that had been Marietta Edgecombe's life blood had all been absorbed into the homunculus body and it took in a deep satisfying breath as two women came forward and draped an ebony black robe onto it. The beast held up its right hand where there was a long deep cut. Miraculously the cut was slowly beginning to knead itself shut. Pleased the beast turned to the gather robed figures spread out around the wall.

"My faithful Death Eaters, bring me the others priestesses. Help heal your master and be rewarded beyond your wildest imaginings. Then, we will take what rightfully belongs to us at long last!" Lord Voldemort cried.

* * *

"What are you doing here?"

Alastor Moody smiled softly when he heard the ethereal choir of voices Dumbledore's secret warrior used to disguise his voice. His magical eye which could see through invisibility cloaks was whizzing about in his head looking for the source and unable to locate him.

The once infamous Auror had come to the rooftop of the Monico building as Tonks had instructed him. She had really wanted to be there herself, but Moody had convinced her that the smart thing to do was play along with Kingsley for now. He had lost trust in her over her involvement with the vigilante, and it was better for her to take a step back.

"I was asked to come by Tonks." Alastor said, hoping to coax the vigilante out of the shadows. "Seems she got herself in a bit of hot water because of you."

Alastor turned at the sound of footsteps and found the leather clad vigilante behind him, emerging from shadow.

"I'd really love to know how you do that." The old Auror quipped.

"What kind of trouble?" The vigilante asked.

Alastor leaned on his walking stick a bit and his demeanor shifted to something a bit cooler. He still felt a need to knock Shacklebolt down a few pegs, but he'd had enough time to think about it from the younger man's point of view. Tonks had also helped to fill in some information about Kingsley that made things a bit clearer.

"She went to her partner and told him she'd been talking to you hoping to get him on board with your way of doing things. She hated lying to him, and thought that he'd be willing to listen to you. But Kingsley Shacklebolt's become a very by the book sort of bloke. A fantastic Auror, but he sometimes can't see the bigger picture. He's under a lot of pressure right now. Hell they all are. Anyway, when he found out that she'd met with you and didn't bring you in, he hit the roof. He's planning to use her to set a trap for you. So, in the mean time, I offered to be a go between. Gives her a chance to appear as if her head is in the right place, and she can still get information to you, and vice versa."

The vigilante remained silent for a moment before he nodded.

"Do you know this Shacklebolt well?" He asked.

"Aye." Moody nodded. "Trained him."

"What would it take to convince him I wasn't the enemy here and get him on our side?"

"A few years ago I would have said a mutual hatred of Voldemort." Moody sighed, rubbing his scarred face. "But now, with everything going on, and the fact that he's being groomed to take over for Rufus Scrimgeour, I couldn't say with any certainty."

"I didn't want to put Tonks in a position that would jeopardize her job, but I need an Auror or two." The vigilante folded his arms across his chest.

"If you're open to suggestions, I have an idea." Moody remarked. The vigilante indicated he should speak and Moody began to smile.

"Let him lay his trap." Moody grinned. "Let him come at you with whatever he's got planned. I can get the details from Tonks, so you'll be prepared, and then you wipe the floor with his ass, and show him what I've already seen outta ya. Show him that you have much more power than he has, and that you are trying to d the right thing here. Kingsley could use a good ass kicking anyway."

"There's the risk I will only further alienate him, and drive him to work that much harder against me." The vigilante pointed out.

"Possibly." Moody agreed. "But If I'm there to put a stop to things, he may back down enough to at least listen to you. And that's not nothing."

The vigilante thought about it for a bit before he nodded.

"Alright. It would be better for me if I had more Aurors on my side on this." He said and moody gave a hearty laugh and clapped his hands.

"In the meantime, let Auror Tonks know that she needs to start looking into Oigh Ban'dia."

"What is that, some new rock group?" Moody asked.

"It what the thirteen girls are called. Voldemort is killing them and taking their power into himself. He's healing himself with each one he kills and if he gets all thirteen, they'll be no stopping him."

Before Moody could comment further the leather clad hero turned and melded back into the darkness. Moody was left staring after him wondering just how in the hell the man had literally vanished without so much as a pop of apparition, or a disillusionment spell. It was bloody brilliant, and if he could teach the Aurors that trick, the Death Eaters would all be rounded up in no time.

When this was all over, Moody pledged to have a very long and detailed discussion with this guy and find out who trained him.

* * *

Pansy Parkinson sat alone in the sitting room of her home, staring blankly into the fire. She was in the chair that had once been her father's favorite, her silk stocking clad legs tucked underneath her. Her left hand held a tall glass of firewhiskey, which she was idly swirling as the index finger of her right hand lightly caressed her lower lip in thought.

She had finally managed to stop shaking after witnessing another sacrifice of a marked girl, knowing that the Dark Lord was now one step closer to discovering that one of his own followers bore the mark as well. Her life was edging ever closer to its end, and it terrified her knowing that if she didn't act soon, she would endure the same thing she'd seen four other girls suffer through.

However, at the moment, Pansy was trying very hard to focus on what had taken place after the sacrifice. Not the Dark Lord's stunning transformation, and increase in strength, but what he'd spoken of. The most feared dark wizard in all of history was actually afraid of something. Or rather someone.

She had heard the Dark Lord rally against Dumbledore before. It was fairly well known that the Dark Lord had been weary of the old headmaster as he felt Dumbledore was the only one who might have challenged him. There was of course talk that he had gone after the Potters sixteen years ago because he felt they could challenge him. And while the Dark Lord had wiped out the family, it had cost him gravely. He'd been less than spirit for many years after that night.

But tonight Pansy had heard the master of the Death Eaters speak of someone that he was clearly concerned about, and that intrigued Pansy. This was someone she needed to find, and forge an alliance with. Perhaps he could protect her. But she knew she would need to offer him something.

Thankfully, she had already figured out exactly what to offer, and where it was. So it was only a matter of collecting it. The problem lay in when to get it. The Dark Lord never left his personal chambers except when they were all gathered to witness something. This meant her only chance would be during the next sacrifice. That could be a real problem if it turned out that she was the next girl selected.

She could just offer her memories of each gathering, and that could be enough, but she wasn't willing to bank on that. And there was of course the fact that this new party was unknown. Pansy had no idea who it was, or where their leanings were. It could easily be a new Dark Lord, far more terrifying than the current. She needed to know more.

Thankfully, the Dark Lord had given her a direction. She had learned that several Death Eaters had encountered this newcomer, and one of them had been none other than her former - and she really hated to use this word to describe him - lover, Draco Malfoy.

Pansy knew that she would be able to easily convince Draco to share his experience, and maybe learn who else had faced this new threat. Perhaps once she discovered what had taken place, she might figure out a way to make contact with this new player, and make an offer of alliance in return for protection.

Pansy took another long drink of whiskey as the image of Marietta Edgecombe trying to fight the Dark Lord off of her as he ripped her magic and life from her surged to the forefront of her mind's eye. Her insides twisted up, and she felt the bile rise in her throat. She had to forcibly suppress the images again and focus on something else or she knew she would go mad.

So she chose to focus on everything she had done up till now in regards to her plan for escape.

The first and most important was to get to know the Dark Lord's fortress. She had spent as much time there as she could, lingering for as long as she could without drawing suspicion to herself and avoiding being seen by the Dark Lord. After three months she was certain she knew the fastest way to get to the Dark Lord's private chambers, and the fastest way to get to the apparition point.

What she didn't know was where the books and scrolls were located, and what protections that might be placed upon them. She also had no idea if the Dark Lord would know if someone entered his chambers. This was really the only part of her plan that gave her real anxiety because it had the most potential for her to get caught and killed.

Then it was a matter of getting out with the prize. Getting past the Dark Lord himself and the entirety of the Death Eater ranks to the only apparition point in the entire fortress. It was an almost impossible task, but Pansy had no alternatives. She had to find something that would ensure that she would live. Because she had something she wanted now.

Pansy turned to where the morning edition of the Daily Prophet lie on the small table. The edition that had featured Augusta Longbottom emerging from the Wizengamot accompanied by her Grandson. The young man that Pansy had admired from afar and been forbidden to speak to. Now she felt there was an opportunity to be who she wanted to be. To live the life she wanted. But she had to get out from under this darkness. She had to find the one who the Dark Lord feared. And she had to find them soon. Before her secret was discovered.

* * *

Sirius looked to Annalise who looked to Remus who looked to Sirius. they had been sitting there together for two hours discussing the latest development in young Harry's crusade. Remus had reported to Sirius that Harry now had concerns about his ability to protect them all.

"So how do we convince him that it's the right move?" Remus asked.

Sirius leaned back in his seat, his shoulders slumping a bit. The idea was a good one really. It simplified so much of the overall problem.

"A better question would be how do we convince them?" Sirius asked. "You're asking these girls to leave their lives to hide for gods only know how long. Their jobs, their friends and families. That's a lot to ask anyone."

"They will do it." Anna said. "They know the danger they're in. And they trust him now. Trust him to protect him when the Aurors clearly can't or won't."

"Again, how do we convince Harry?" Remus asked. "He knows what's at stake better than any of us. He's seen the girls, and he's fought the Death Eaters. He can't watch over them and try and find You-Know-Who. Those girls could be snatched up at anytime, and now that they're converging, the Death Eaters can snatch them all up at once and be done with it."

Sirius sighed and ran his hands through his hair. Annalise laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"He'll listen to you." She said softly. "He always has. If you tell him this is a good idea, he'll listen."

Sirius remained silent as he thought about the solution to protecting those girls who were being targeted by Voldemort. It had been Remus who had first suggested it. Annalise got on board right away, though Sirius thought she might have alternative motives for wanting the Oigh Ban'dia ladies to move into Grimmauld Place.

The fact of the matter was that the girls needed to be protected, and other than Hogwarts, Sirius couldn't think of a safer place. It was hidden well, and had the benefit of having Harry there to watch out for them. And while they were there, they could possibly figure out what it meant to be one of these special witches. And maybe, just maybe, they could help Harry do what he was destined to do.

And sure, if he were being honest, Sirius wouldn't mind that much to see his godson in a house full of pretty young women. Though in fairness to Harry, he really wasn't wired the same way most young men were. That was largely thanks to the fact that Sirius was more focused on getting the boy the training he would need for the fight ahead instead of the upbringing he should have had. it was the only thing Sirius regretted in his upbringing of his godson.

But none of that was important now. The only thing that mattered was the safety of those young women, and defeating Voldemort.

"He's not going to like having to give up his privacy." Sirius said finally. "He's going to resist. Even if I manage to convince him that this is the right play, he's going to try and come up with alternatives. He really believes that his way is the only way to proceed with his war. Putting all those girls into the house with him means he will inevitably have to reveal who he is, and I don't think he's ready to do that."

"Then you have to make him understand that this is the only way." Annalise said emphatically. "You have to make him understand that he knows what it would mean if Voldemort got these girls, and it's in his best interest to take them in. If they are safe, he'll be able to refocus on finding this madman and end him once and for all."

Remus gave a firm nod of agreement and Sirius stood up.

"I've got to get to a pizza joint." Sirius sighed.

"Why?" Remus asked.

Because he's always more amiable to certain concepts when he's eaten." Sirius chuckled.

An hour later found Sirius entering his ancestral home carrying two large pies and butterbeer as well as a plan to convince Harry that he needed to protect the girls.

As usual Sirius found Harry in the study. The walls had even more articles and pictures tacked up, and an even more intricate web of red string connecting things all centered around the parchment with Voldemort's name on it. Harry was standing in the room staring at a new article he'd just placed on the wall. He was wearing only black pants and his hair was messier than was normal. He also looked as if he'd just gotten out of the shower.

"You look tired." Sirius remarked, setting the pizza down. Harry turned, and a smile appeared on his face when he spied the pizza boxes.

"Food." Was his reply as he lunged for the box. He took a slice and after three bites he looked at his godfather who was smirking.

"Something happen?" Harry asked.

"No, why do you say that?" Sirius asked.

"Because you're here." Harry pointed out. "We made a deal. Sundays and every other Wednesday for dinner to keep you up to date on everything I'm doing. If you're here that means that something's happened, and the fact that you brought food means you're trying to ease me into it. So what is it?"

"I liked it better when you were less perceptive." Sirius bemoaned. "Remus told us what happened with Rookwood the other night, and then he told us about you wanting to find a way to protect the girls."

"They're too spread out. I can't…" Harry stopped and looked at Sirius and then his shoulders sagged.

"No." He said shaking his head. "No. Absolutely not. We get the Aurors to do it. It's their gods damned job Sirius!"

"You've seen for yourself how well the Auror deal with the Death Eaters kid." Sirius held up his hands to try and calm his godson down. "You've only got one option here. The place is big enough for those six girls and more if you get them to double up on rooms. And to be frank it'd do you good to have them here with you. You're too isolated. You told us yourself just last week that you've been getting lonely here."

"Yeah, but that wasn't a hint that I needed full time company!" Harry argued. "Sirius, if they know that I'm who I am, and I'm alive, it puts them in greater danger than they already are."

"Not if they stay here all the time." Sirius said, giving a half hearted shrug.

Harry could only stare for a moment.

"You expect them to give up their lives? Their jobs? Friends and family? Just to stay here until I find and kill Voldemort? Sirius, I can't even find the bastard. I can't promise those girls that it'll be just for a while. I can't ask them to give up everything a come live with me like some sort of sick sex cult leader. And that's how they'll see it too."

"What other choice do you have? Do they have?" Sirius pointed out. "Four of them have already been attacked and they were lucky you were there. At least three girls are dead because you weren't there. And you said yourself that the Death Eaters are starting to send more out to collect each girl, likely because of you. What will you do when the next girl shows up dead? Or if one of those girls gets snatched knowing you could have protected her just by hiding her here?"

Harry tossed his half eaten pizza slice on top of the box and began to pace. Sirius allowed him to move about because he knew he'd backed the kid into a corner. He'd hated to do it, but the kid could be as stubborn as his mother sometimes. But Harry was also just as smart as Lily had been, and Sirius knew that if he allowed it Harry would realize that there really was only one option.

"I can't afford the distractions." Harry said after a few minutes of pacing. Sirius managed to keep himself from smirking.

"If I do this I need to channel my energy back into finding Voldemort, or finding any of the others. So I'll need someone here to take care of them. I need to remain separate from them."

"Of course." Sirius nodded, knowing that it would only be a matter of time before Harry found himself interacting with the girls without his precious armor and hood between them. Eventually he'd have to reveal himself to them. If Sirius knew anything about women, it was that eventually they would need to solve the mystery of who was protecting them.

"I really wish I had a house elf." Harry grimaced.

"He's not a house elf, but I'm sure we could persuade Remus to help you. And Annalise would love to…"

"NO!" Harry snapped. "Gods if we let her in here with those girls she'll have me all but betrothed to one or three of them. No, Annalise keeps her distance, or I swear to god, I will just let Voldemort kill me without a fight."

"Alright." Sirius said laughing at his godson's theatrics." Alright, I'll keep her chained up. When will you ask them?"

"I don't know. I've got to think this through. Besides, I have another problem right now." Harry said as he ran his hand through his damp hair.

"What's up?"

"Auror Tonks got into some sort of trouble with her partner because of her association with me. Alastor moody was there tonight instead of Tonks. It sounds like this Kingsley Shacklebolt is planning on trying to trap me. Moody thinks I should let it play out and then take Kingsley to task. Moody thinks he's a good Auror, but he's been groomed and maybe needs a wake up call."

"Kingsley was with the Order in the final days before Voldemort's fall." Sirius said folding his arms. "He was a lot younger then and less ensconced in the Ministry. It does stand to reason with his record as it was then, and with Moody's training that Kingsley could be someone that Amelia Bones is looking at to replace her one day. That would mean doing everything by the book, and keeping his record clean. On the other hand Kingsley was someone not unlike your father or myself who was willing to get their hands dirty during the first war. Maybe Moody's right, and Kingsley needs to be reminded what it is to fight a real war."

"I really don't want to fight a war on two fronts." Harry sighed. "The Aurors are already hell-bent on seeing me locked up."

"You knew this was going to happen." Sirius reminded his godson. "I warned you about this."

"I know." Harry sighed. "I was hoping though that I would be able to rally them to my side. But that night in Diagon Alley really bollocksed it up."

"Well, maybe this is your chance to start persuading them." Sirius pointed out. "Moody's got your back, and so long as you don't hurt Kingsley, Tonks is supporting you. So let Kingsley set his trap. If you don't like the odds, don't let them spring it. But if you think you can handle it, then show them what they're dealing with, and then show them what's at stake, just like you did with Tonks. If after that Kingsley still isn't convinced… fuck him. You don't need his help."

"How do you make everything seem so uncomplicated?" Harry asked with a soft chuckle.

"Mostly because I don't dwell on the details." Sirius grinned. "That's your job. I'm just the idea man and cheerleader."

"You're not going to put that skirt on again, are you?" Harry grimaced.

"I might." Sirius gave a thoughtful expression. "It was pretty freeing."

"And there goes my appetite."


	15. Chapter 15

15.

Nymphadora Tonks stood in the falling snow on the rooftop, trying to act as casually as she could, so as not to give any sign that things were very, very wrong. Tonight was the night that Kingsley had decided that the vigilante would finally face justice.

It had been just over two weeks since the discovery of Marietta Edgecombe just south of Sheffield. She had been found in the same condition as the other girls. Drained of blood with no visible wounds, and covered in runes. Following Marietta's body turning up, Amelia Bones had announced the Vigilante to be the number one suspect, and that he should be brought in. Extreme force had been authorized.

Kingsley had recruited Dawlish and Gallagher, as they were heading up the investigation of the Vigilante. Kingsley had also made Tonks arrange two meetings with the vigilante in order to observe him.

Actually that had been Tonks' doing. She had convinced Kingsley that they shouldn't try and apprehend the vigilante without getting a good idea of his capabilities, or at least getting a good idea on the best way to take him down. She had reminded Kingsley of how soundly he had beaten her the first time she had met with him. And so, Tonks had met with the man she was about to betray, and if she hadn't trusted moody, she was sure that the man Dumbledore trusted to do what he had failed to do would be in Azkaban tonight.

Even though she had been able to warn the vigilante through Moody about the plot, Tonks wasn't so sure that everything was going to be alright. She was positive that the vigilante was going to get away tonight, she wasn't so sure that her career was going to survive. Kingsley had made it clear that if he even suspected she wasn't on board with tonight's plan, she would wind up in Azkaban.

Tonks glanced over her shoulder to where she knew Kingsley was waiting under a disillusionment charm. She respected the man, liked him even. Kingsley had been the greatest partner she could have ever asked for, and she hated herself for lying to him about speaking to the vigilante. Once she had come clean however, she realized what a mistake it had been. Kingsley was just as convinced as Amelia Bones that the man in black was the one killing these young women, and had to be stopped.

So tonight she stood in the falling snow, waiting.

She looked up across the street, hoping to see if Mad-Eye Moody was there somewhere, even though she knew that if he was, she wouldn't know it. He had promised that he would do everything in his power to make sure that Dumbledore's champion would remain free so he could protect the girls who had been marked and hunted by the Death Eaters.

Her thoughts wandered back to the last time she had seen the man in black. He had asked her about what kind of protections they were currently offering the girls who had been attacked and escaped. He had seemed very concerned that the Aurors were seemingly unconcerned with their safety. Only Susan Bones was under any sort of guard, and by extension Hannah Abbott. He had asked if they could offer something better. Something like protective custody. Tonks had confessed that she didn't think Madam Bones or Rufus Scrimgeour could be convinced unless the girls were attacked again. She had then warned him that in the eyes of the Ministry he was persona non grata.

After that Tonks had suggested to Kingsley that it would be a good idea to bring the marked girl in. Kingsley had thought her foolish to even consider the concept.

"Bring them all into one place so he can kill them at once. Do half his work for him? I don't think so." Kingsley had said sourly.

"Auror Tonks."

"Merlin's pants!" Tonks all but shrieked as she spun discovering the very man she'd been thinking about standing there.

"You asked me to come." the ethereal voice said, echoing all around her. "Has there been a development?"

"Sort of." Tonks said nervously. "I- I need you to place your weapons on the ground and place your hands on your head."

The hooded head titled slightly.

"Now." She said, sounding more authoritative.

I don't think so." The vigilante said, taking a step back.

"I think you'd better do as the Auror says." came another voice. The vigilante glanced over his right shoulder where Gallagher had appeared, his wand at the ready. "And take off that hood while you're at it."

The vigilante's shoulders slumped.

"Would the others care to make themselves known?" the angelic chorus spoke. He looked to his left and then to his right. "Come gentlemen; don't make this harder than it has to be."

"I think that's our line." John Dawlish said, undoing his own disillusionment charm. We're not going to ask again."

"There is still one more." The vigilante said, again glancing to his left.

At last Kingsley revealed himself. "How did you know we were here?" Kingsley asked, looking not at the man in Black, but Tonks, who kept her eyes on the vigilante fearing her partner, would be able to see into her soul.

"I fear I wouldn't be able to show you before you all attacked me." The vigilante replied. "And I do not wish to fight any of you."

"Smart move." Gallagher smirked, stepping forward.

"I do not wish to fight you because I would very much like you to trust me. I am not your enemy." The ethereal voice stated.

"Killing young girls isn't the way to our hearts." Dawlish replied bitterly.

"I'm not the killer." The hooded man said earnestly. "And if you would give me a chance to explain all I know…"

"Enough!" Kingsley commanding baritone bellowed. "You can tell us everything back at headquarters. Put your weapons on the ground, hands on your head and get on your knees!"

"I'm afraid not." The vigilante said as he slowly turned to look at Kingsley who found the lack of any facial features slightly disturbing. "I will ask you one last time to allow me to explain things to you."

"Oh for fuck's sake." Gallagher groaned as he lunged forward, grasping the vigilante's left wrist. He kicked the back of his knee, trying to force him to his knees. But it didn't work the way he had hoped. The black clad hooded man twisted and pulled Gallagher's arm up and swung him around and over. Suddenly Gallagher found himself being hurled toward Kingsley who had no time to get out of the way. The two Aurors landed in a tangled mass of limbs.

"You done screwed up boy!" Dawlish shouted as he unleashed a fury of spells only to be struck dumb when the vigilante conjured a shield that actually absorbed the spells. What really shook him was that he hadn't seen a wand drawn. Dawlish could only stare as the vigilante pulled his bow off his back.

"HEY!" Tonks shouted and the vigilante turned as Tonks hit him with a piercing hex. The man in black stumbled, but then threw up his right hand, and with a flash of brilliant white light knocked Tonks out cold.

Kingsley and Gallagher were on their feet again and spread out to get the vigilante between them. Gallagher was the first to fire a quick succession of spells only to have the Vigilante leapt into the air allowing Gallagher's spells to hit Kingsley who was directly behind their intended target. Kingsley shouted as he barely got his shield up in time.

The vigilante used his bow to pull Gallagher's feet out from under him and with another flash of white, knocked him out cold.

"Kingsley," Dawlish called as he approached his wand at the ready. "Kingsley, he's not using a wand."

"I don't care." Kinglsey shouted. "I want… wait what?"

Another brilliant white flash and Dawlish crumpled to the ground.

"He said I wasn't using a wand." the ethereal voice said with a soft hint of regret.

"Auror Shacklebolt, one way or the other, you're going to hear what I have to say." The vigilante stated, and Kingsley noted that the right hand of his enemy was glowing white

"And I told you that you could tell us everything after we took you in." Kingsley replied still trying to sound as he was in charge though he knew that it was over. He had failed in bringing in the murderer. The man in black shook his head, clearly unhappy with Kingsley's reply.

"Very well."

Kingsley attempted to protect himself, but his shield either wasn't strong enough, or the spell shattered it. He was blinded by the brightness, and then very suddenly, everything went black.

He had no way of knowing how long he'd been out for when someone slapped him rather hard. Kingsley looked up and saw the jovial smile of Mad-Eye Moody. Kingsley tried to rise, as he was leaning up against the low wall of the roof next to Dawlish and Gallagher who were both coming to. Tonks was on his other side, wide awake and bound with strong thin cord, just as Kinglsey found himself to be.

"Got your asses handed to you rather soundly. Guy didn't even break a sweat." Moody grinned.

"I'm gonna have you ass in a cell for this." Kingsley snarled.

"Auror Shacklebolt, Auror Gallagher, and Auror Dawlish." said the echoing choral voice. "I apologize for this, but you clearly were unwilling to listen of your own free will. I told you I didn't want to fight. I need your help, and I fear that you will need mine. Now you're going to listen to what I have to say. Once I have had said my piece, I will release you."

"And what's stopping us from taking you down then?" Gallagher asked.

The man in black gave a heavy sigh and Moody chuckled again.

"Boy, four of you couldn't take him, and from what I understand you've failed twice now. He handed your asses to you. So how can you possibly think you could beat him?"

"Enough." the angelic choir stated evenly. "I am not your enemy, and I didn't murder those girls. If you had given me the chance to explain when we met in Diagon Alley, I was trying to protect Ms Bones, and Ms. Abbott."

"Did you Murder Albert Runcorn?" Kingsley asked.

"To protect Ms. Lisa Turpin." the vigilante replied. "Death Eaters have managed to escape justice for too long Auror Shacklebolt. Even you can't deny that. Those whose lives I've ended all bore the mark, and were all involved in Death Eater activities at the time I faced them."

"So you say!" Dawlish spat.

"I would be willing to submit my memories of each event." The vigilante offered.

"We wouldn't be able to accept them and you know it." Gallagher snapped. "You could have altered them."

"Tonks told me that you claim Dumbledore sent for you"Kingsley said, turning the subject.

"He did." The vigilante replied. "I was his contingency plan. One he never wanted to use. You see, Voldemort and I have a long history, and Dumbledore knew that I am the only one who can stop him once and for all, though he hoped with all his heart that I wouldn't have to. He gave his life in the attempt. Did things no one will ever know about to protect me. But when he knew there was no other option, he asked me to finish what he couldn't and fulfill my destiny."

"Destiny?" Gallagher looked confused.

"What things?" Dawlish asked.

"When you say a long history, are you saying you were a Death Eater?" Kinglsey asked.

The vigilante approached the four bound Aurors and knelt in front of them. He then pulled off the left gauntlet and pushed up his sleeve to reveal a bare white arm.

"No, I'm no Death Eater." he said.

"Ok, I'm getting really confused here." Gallagher said looking at his compatriots. "But it doesn't matter. You're breaking the law. You're not an Auror, and to you don't have the authority to just kill Death Eaters. Though, and I'll be honest, I can appreciate what it is you're trying to do."

"He's right." Kingsley said. "No one is above the law."

"What if he changed his tactics?" Tonks said suddenly. "What if he stopped killing them?"

Kingsley, Moody, Gallagher and Dawlish all turned as one to stare at her. Tonks felt her self blushing, but plowed ahead.

"The Ministry will occasionally hire outside help to find and capture wanted criminals. They give those individuals carte blanche in how they go about it with the caveat that they can't use Unforgivables."

"You're suggesting we hire him as a hit wizard?" Dawlish asked disbelievingly. "The Director will never go for that."

"He's right." Kingsley agreed. "He's been linked to at least three deaths, and until he can prove he's not responsible for the girls…"

"Or if he had a name that we could use in place of the vigilante." Gallagher said more to himself, but everyone turned to look at him now.

"What?" Dawlish asked.

"I'm just thinking that if we had something to call him other than the hood, or the vigilante or anything like that in order to mislead Bones and Scrimgeour into thinking he's someone different."

"Phoenix." The hood said. "Call me Phoenix."

"Are you lot out of your mind?" Kingsley asked beginning to get irritated. "This guy has us all bound and at his Mercy. He's killed…"

And then suddenly they were all free. The cords that had bound them all were gone and Phoenix was holing their wands out to them. Tonks leapt to her feet, smiling as she took her wand back, lightly punching phoenix in the shoulder. Dawlish, Kingsley and Gallagher all got up, looking less trusting as they accepted their wands. None of them put them away, but they didn't try and hex the man who had beaten them so easily.

"I think this is a good idea." Moody said looking on proudly. "Kingsley, you have the most pull. Just tell old Rufus that you met a talented new hit wizard who gave you information on the investigation. Nothing too major, but something that can be verified and shows that he's got a head for this sort of thing. You should be able to convince him that Phoenix here is on the level."

"Then he can bring in Death Eaters, and we can question them." Tonks added. "Maybe find out more about what You-Know-Who is up to."

"Honestly Kingsley, they way he fought us," Dawlish began eyeing the black clad Phoenix. "And if he is actually what he says he is, and he really is the only one who can beat You-Know-Who…"

"I'm still not convinced." Gallagher started, and suddenly. There's no proof the You-Know-Who is still alive. We all saw the fight at the Ministry, and Dumbledore didn't survive it."

"And supposedly Voldemort had died years ago, and still he managed to return from the dead." Phoenix countered.

"There's no proof he was dead to begin with." Gallagher countered. "There was no body."

"So then you're saying that you saw his body after he fought Dumbledore?" Phoenix asked and Gallagher realized he had invalidated his own argument. Before he could respond Phoenix very suddenly reached into his jacket and pulled a small coin which they all could see was glowing red. Phoenix shoved the coin back into his jacket and raised his head once again.

My apologies, but it seems that I'm needed elsewhere." He said. He paused and seemed to be contemplating something. "Perhaps my actions will prove to you that what I say is true. Come with me. Death Eaters are attempting to take on of the marked girls. Help me stop them."

He offered his hand to them and without hesitation; Tonks reached out and clasped it, looking at the others with hope. Moody added his hand and looked to the three men. Dawlish hesitated only a moment before joining his hand.

"John?" Gallagher looked questioningly.

"He beat us with out a wand, Rupert." Dawlish said. "Not even Dumbledore could have done that."

"If we come with you, you can not kill any of them." Kingsley stated evenly, though he still looked suspicious.

"I give you my word that I will not kill any one unless my life or that of one of the girls in my protection is in mortal peril." Phoenix replied.

"Well worded since if it is the Death Eaters, they are in mortal peril." Gallagher said wryly, though he stepped forwards and joined his hand to the pile.

"There is no more time to discuss this." Phoenix stated to Kingsley.

The tall Auror gave a sigh and stepped forward. "This discussion isn't over."

"I never thought it was." Phoenix stated as Kingsley placed his hand on top of Gallagher's. At once they all felt the uncomfortable squeezing sensation of apparition.

* * *

"We've been over this a thousand times." Susan cried with exasperation. "There is nothing! Nothing on Oigh Ban-dia of priestesses or anything like that."

"There has to be more than two mentions in two stupid books!" Tracey replied angrily. We can't have existed without someone writing about us."

"And there you go with we again." Mandy complained. "We're not reincarnations of these witches!"

"How do you know?" Tracey challenged. "We don't know anything because according to Susan, there's no information on any of this!"

"That's enough!" Hermione shouted, stunning all the girls as she wasn't prone to angry outbursts. "It's clear that we've exhausted all of our resources and found nothing. But Tracey's right. There has to be more information out there. We know these women existed before, and now they do again in us. My best guess is that we're looking for the wrong thing. We keep searching for Oigh Ban-Dia. Perhaps what we should be looking for is covens, which I suggested two weeks ago, before Marietta Edgecombe's body was found. You may also remember that I suggested that we try to perform magic together."

"As I recall that conversation devolved into talk about a witch's orgy." Lisa remarked with a small grin and a pointed stare at Susan and Hannah.

"I wasn't the one who suggested we got naked." Hannah defended herself.

"Yes you did sweetie." Susan pointed out. "I was the one who suggested you massage each other."

"Oh right." Hannah nodded as she recalled the conversation.

"It still makes sense that we try and experiment." Hermione said pushing ahead. "If we're supposed to have more power together, it's a good idea to try and figure out how it works, or if it works. We don't have any other options right now, and we've been meeting together for over a month and accomplished nothing. Do any of you think it will be long before the Death Eaters come looking for us again?"

"She's right." Mandy said. "Three of you have been attacked already, and Marietta is the fourth girl to turn up dead. That leaves nine of us left. Phoenix is supposed to be looking for the others, but why haven't we tried?"

"Tried?' Lisa looked up curious.

"A locator spell." Mandy replied. "It's simple enough, and maybe with all of us looking for our sisters, we could find them before the Death Eaters."

"It's actually not a bad idea." Hermione said looking impressed. "Do you have an idea on how we would do it?"

"Well, we couldn't use our wands, as they are connected to each of us. I think we'd need a neutral vessel. Just something that could point the way."

"Would that really work?" Susan asked." I mean yeah it could show you the direction, but that's it. It couldn't tell you where the girl was. She could be all the way in Scotland for all we know."

"I thought of that as well." Mandy smiled and went to her bag. She pulled out a map and which she unfolded. Hermione and Lisa both got up from their seats and moved the table out of the way at Mandy's insistence. She laid the map on the floor and stood back as the others gathered round it.

England, Ireland and Scotland." Mandy said with a sweeping wave.

"And the vessel? Lisa asked. Mandy smiled and took a shiny needle out of her pocket.

"I though silver would be the best conductor." She bent and placed it on the map exactly where they were currently.

"Now what?" Hannah asked.

"Well I figured that we join hands." Mandy said. "Given what we talked about last time before it got weird, skin to skin contact would be the most conducive to channel our magics together."

"Won't we need to use a spell on the needle or something?" Tracey asked.

"Yeah, how are we going to get the spell to work if we're all holding hands?" Hannah asked, looking as confused as the others.

"Maybe one of us…" Hermione began but Mandy shook her head vehemently.

"No." She stated. "No, if one of use uses their wand, we won't be sure if it was that person or all of us. I think we have to work together and let the our magic…"

"But how?" Tracey asked, now sounding irritated. "How do we direct the spell without using a wand? Are we supposed to somehow do it wandlessly?"

"Exactly." Mandy said looking confident.

"I guess theoretically it could work." Hermione said thoughtfully. "We're supposed to have much greater power together, so it's possible that if we are all connected with a single goal, it could work."

"And a locater spell is fairly simple." Lisa added, getting up from her seat and standing next to her best friend, and looking at the others hoping to convince them that Mandy's plan had merit.

"It's worth a try." Hermione sighed. Tracey and Hannah still didn't look convinced, but they got up as well and they all took up positions around the map and joined hands.

"Ok, so everyone just focus on finding our sisters. Someone who has the mark like us." Mandy said, trying not to smile triumphantly. "Susan can watch the needle and let us know if anything happens."

Susan agreed and the girls all shut their eyes.

Lisa really wasn't sure she knew what to concentrate on. So she decided to picture the mark. The odd oval with the off center cross that she and the other girls shared. All of them bore the same dark red mark just to side of their left breast. It was the thing that united them, and the other girls would have that same mark. So Lisa kept picturing the mark and asking the universe to help them find anyone else who had that mark.

Susan sighed quietly as she watched the girls, wondering what they were thinking, and wondering why she hadn't been chosen as well. She was grateful that they allowed her to hang around even though she wasn't a part of their coven. She loved Hannah like a sister, and was so proud that she was part of something so amazing, though she also felt jealous that she wasn't a part of it too.

It was then that she notice the needle on the map starting to tremble. Her eyes went wide with surprise, and she began waving her hands to get the attention of thothers, forgetting their eyes were closed in concentration. The needle suddenly snapped forward an inch and then spun slightly. It trembled again and rolled left and then right and then began to creep forward again.

"It's… It's moving!" She shouted.

There was a sudden heavy knock on the door, and the needle stopped cold as the girls were all brought back to the here and now.

"It was moving!" Susan stated again. "I swear it was working."

"What were you thinking about?' Mandy asked turning to Lisa as Hermione went to answer the door.

Lisa began to explain to her friend what she had been trying to focus on and how she started to feel like she was becoming weightless. Tracey's eyes went wide and she pointed at Lisa exclaiming that she had felt something similar.

Hermione reached out for the doorknob of her flat when she felt something odd. The hairs on the back of her neck felt as though they were standing on end. The other girls all gave little sounds of alarm signaling that they had all felt the same thing. A ward had been erected. Hermione immediately backed away from the door and motioned for the others to get back. She quickly began looking for an escape route.

Her flat was on the fourth floor and she had only two windows, one of which led to a fire escape. She motioned for her friends to head out. Hannah was the first to reach it, and started to climb out, only to quickly duck back into the apartment.

"Death Eaters!" She hissed. "They're down on the street!"

The knocking sounded again, more insistent this time and Hermione turned and shot the door with a locking charm she'd learn to modify in her sixth year. It wasn't unbreakable, but it would likely take some time before whoever was on the other side would be able to get through it.

"Open the door Granger!" Came a shout from outside the door. "We don't want to hurt you. The Dark Lord wants you whole and unbroken."

"Fuck off!" Shouted Susan. "You're not getting any of us!"

"We only need one of you this time." Came another voice.

"We've got to get out of here!" Lisa said, panic rising in her chest.

"How many of them did you see out there?" Hermione asked Hannah.

"At least two, right below." Hannah replied.

Hermione carefully peeked out the window. She couldn't see the two Death Eaters that Hannah had seen without risking sticking her whole head out the window. But she did see five robed figures across the street. She noted that no one was on the street beside the Death Eaters and figured that they must have used muggle repelling charms.

"Well, we're not getting down that way." Hermione said.

Something heavy hit the door, and the whole flat shook with the force of it, causing all six girls to jump in fright.

"I don't think they want to stay outside." Mandy exclaimed, her voice beginning to tremble.

"Well we only have two ways out, and they got both of them covered." Hermione stated.

"Can we make a portkey?" Hannah asked.

"You felt the wards." Tracey snapped. "Anti Apparition and likely anti portkey wards. They don't want us going anywhere."

"We can fight these bastards." Susan snarled. "We just need to get someplace open.

The door cracked under whatever the Death Eaters were doing. Hermione came up with a plan quickly in her head.

"They're going to break through any second now. When they do… hit them with the most powerful blasting hexes you can conjure. If we take them out, maybe we can get by them and get out." Hermione said, turning to take up an offensive stance.

"What about the ones in the street?" Hannah asked

"We don't know how many of them are out there!" Mandy added

"One problem at a time!" Tracey snapped

The door splintered, cracked and exploded inward. The women held their spells until they saw the first bone white mask.

"FIRE!" Hermione shouted, and six blasting hexes said at the black robed figure. The doorway became much larger as the spells tore away wood and dry wall parts of four robed and hooded Death Eaters.

"GO!" Hermione shouted, and the ladies wasted no time in heading out of the flat. As Tracey, who was the first one to reach the door started to leap over the fallen Death Eaters, one of them reached up and grabbed her ankle, causing her to stumble. Mandy, who was right behind her, stomped on the hand, making the Death Eater curse and draw back as well as releasing Tracey. Mandy helped Tracey to her feet as the other girls joined them, bunching up in the hallway.

The Death Eaters were getting up slowly and Hermione tried to push past the other girls to lead them down to the street. She stopped when she heard heavy footsteps coming up.

"The roof!" Lisa shouted, and the witches rushed up two flights of stairs onto the roof where they had met the hooded vigilante just a few weeks ago.

As Lisa emerged out into the night air, she looked around, her mind flashing back to that night when the Phoenix had told them all he knew and given Hermione the coin, telling her that if they needed him…

"Hermione, tell me you have the coin." Lisa said, turning around as the last girl came through the door slamming it shut behind her and locking it.

"What coin?" Hermione asked as she conjured a large heavy stone to block the door before turning o find some sort of escape.

"The coin!" Lisa shouted. "The coin that calls him!"

"YES!" Hannah shouted stepping toward Hermione. "He gave you that coin and said to use it to call him!"

"Please say you have it." Lisa pleaded.

Hermione thought about it, thinking that she had left the coin in her handbag which was back in the apartment, but then remembered she had taken to carrying it in her front pocket. She reached into her pocket of her pants and found it. The little coin with the square cutout.

"I hope he gets here fast." Mandy said, looking at the stone blocked door.

"I'm not waiting for some white knight to come save me." Tracey said, conjuring several big stones and order the other girls to take up positions behind them.

"Can't we just jump off the roof?" Hannah asked.

"We're six stories up Hannah!" Susan shouted.

"I know but someone could use an arresto charm and slow our fall so we don't get hurt and then we could use it on who ever was left."

"And the Death Eaters on the street could pick us off." Tracey snapped.

"Are they still even there?" Mandy asked, chancing a look over the edge of the roof. A sizzling red spell impacted the low brick railing and Mandy fell backwards, scrambling back on her hands.

"That answers that!" Tracey said, turning her attention back to the door where the Death Eaters were no trying to get through Hermione's lock. Whatever they'd used on Hermione's door wasn't working as well since this door was made of metal.

Hermione held the coin in her left hand and touched her wand to the edge of the coin thinking "We need help." she saw the coin start to glow and silently hoped he would get here fast, or the Virgin Priestesses might be wiped out before they even knew what they could do.


	16. Chapter 16

16.

Lisa was forced onto her knees by a big Death Eater who was wrenching her left arm up behind her back, and yanking on her blonde hair. Apparently the Death Eater really liked hearing her whimper in pain because he would only yank her arm up just enough to get her to whimper pathetically. Lisa found herself between Hermione and Tracey, who were both in similar situations. Lisa chanced a glance about to see her best friend Mandy keeping her eyes down, clearly afraid of what was about to happen, while Hermione stared up defiantly, her eyes burning with anger. Tracey was also glaring at the Death Eaters, though Lisa felt that Tracey's glare was more intimidating than Hermione's.

The six girls were now lined up in a row, all prostrated on their knees in subjugation. There were roughly twenty Death Eaters there on the roof now, all in various states of battle wear and tear. The girls had put up a valiant fight, and for a few moments it looked as if they would be victorious as the Death Eaters couldn't get out of the door that led to the roof to get at them. Tracey had conjured heavy rocks that the girls had used for cover, and with the Death Eaters forced into a choke point, it appeared to be only a matter of time before they gave up, or the girls eliminated them all.

But they had forgotten that they were in the open, and that the Death Eaters could be as inventive as they were.

With anti-apparition wards up, the enemy couldn't apparate to the roof top, so the girls assumed they weren't a real threat. But the Death Eaters could use magic just as well as the new coven, and levitated up to the roof behind the girls, splitting their attention, and overpowering them in a matter of minutes. The only saving grace was that the Death Eaters didn't seem to want to cause any sort of real harm to the girls.

Hannah had been the first one stunned. Susan had shouted a warning, but it had been too late. The girls were caught in a crossfire, and it wasn't long before the fight was over. Mandy was the second to fall, followed by Susan. Tracey Lisa and Hermione had fought viciously, but they were overwhelmed.

Lisa was awoken, and unceremoniously dragged across the roof where she was forced to kneel as the Death Eaters closed ranks. Their leader prowled about them, holding their wands in his hand like a prize. Lisa and the others took in the damage they had caused to the other Death Eaters, and despite their growing fear, each felt a sense of pride at what they had managed. The Death Eater holding Hannah was still coughing up thick wads of phlegm that had blood in it. Another was cradling their arm which hung strangely off their shoulder. Still another stood in soaking wet robes which were also still smoking from the fire Tracey had set. Lisa could feel the one that was holding her occasionally stumble likely suffering from a concussion from Tracey's blasting hex.

The leader of the Death Eaters stopped in front of Lisa and stared down at her. The blonde stared back, trying to appear defiant like Hermione and Tracey, though she was anything but. She kept wondering Phoenix had gotten the message and was coming to rescue them.

"I didn't believe the Dark Lord." The leader said as he paced in front of them. He held all their wands in his hand like trophies. "The idea of it was ridiculous. I couldn't believe that a group of girls, barely out of Hogwarts could be so powerful, especially if they found one another. But the Dark Lord wasn't lying to us. You lot nearly managed to defeat all of us. Your power is growing just as he said. I think you might even be a real force to be reckoned with when we return for the rest of you. Or you would be if we were going to let you remember anything."

"What do you mean return?" Hermione asked.

"What do you mean the rest of us?" Tracey asked.

"You're not going to take all of us?" Hannah looked as confused as the other girls. The Death Eater holding her jerked on her blonde hair, making her squeak with pain.

"The Dark Lord only wants one of you." The leader claimed, eyeing each of them in turn.

"We should take all of these bitches." The Death Eater in the still smoking water logged robes grumbled. "Put them in the dungeons until the Dark Lord's ready for them."

"You know why we can't do that." Another Death Eater, a woman from the sound of her voice, said with irritation. Lisa noted with a little bit of pride it was the one that she had hit with a bone breaker hex. The Death Eater was cradling her left arm, which looked to be hanging oddly, very delicately. Lisa wished her aim had been better and she'd hit the woman in the head.

"Have you forgotten what the Master told us?" The one holding Lisa snapped at the others. "They must be allowed to flourish so their power gains strength before they are harvested. We take one, just as we were commanded. The Dark Lord's word is law."

"And the question remains, which one?" The leader said, staring at Lisa for a long moment before moving to Mandy and on down the line, trying to choose which girl to take. He then gave a nod, and the girls were all shoved to the ground, their shirts torn and ripped to reveal their left sides and the marks that identified them as the Oigh Ban-dia.

"Hey, this one ain't marked." The one holding Susan shouted cheerily. "We got a spare!"

"Well, well, well." The leader said with a tone of surprised joy as he went to Susan to examine the bare flesh of Susan's torso. He reached down to touch the clean cream colored skin and Susan let out a shriek of protest. The man holding her yanked her hair, pulling her head back, and slapping her hard across her face.

"It looks like perhaps we'll get a little reward for our efforts." The Leader chuckled.

"I get first crack at her." The man holding Susan laughed. "I want to break her in right."

"Very well Rabastan." The leader nodded, turning back to the other girls. "But try and control yourself until we finish what we came here for. We need to choose the Dark Lord's prize, and then obliviate the others. So which one will be our guest?"

"Her." The one with the smoldering robes said pointing at Tracey. "Take her."

"Her?' The leader asked eyeing Tracey. Tracy looked up, recognizing the voice, a feral snarl morphing onto her pretty face.

"Theo?" She asked, and the Death Eater holding her was suddenly having difficulty holding the girl back. Theo Nott reached up and removed his mask. His eyes were sunken and rimmed a deep purple. It looked as if he hadn't slept in months.

"Not long enough." Tracey spat.

"You'll be glad to know that the Dark Lord forgave me after a time. But I had to be made to understand what failing him meant. You should have come with me that night Tracey." Theo said stepping forward and leaning down so he was inches from her face. "If you could only understand the glory that awaits you."

Tracey surprised the Death Eater who was holding her, and leapt at Theodore Nott, clawing and screaming in rage. Lisa had no idea why Tracey seemed so angry, but was pretty sure it had to do with the fact that she knew that particular Death Eater. It took three robed men to pull Tracey off Nott who scrambled back to his feet, preparing to hex Tracey. He was only stopped by the Death Eater who still held all the girls' wands, reminding him that the girls were supposed to be unharmed. Theo considered for a moment and then balled his fist and hit Tracey scare in the face. Hermione, Lisa and the others all shouted in indignation while Theo simply scowled at his ex girlfriend.

"She'll heal." Nott spat out angrily to the leader of the group.

"Young love." The man who held Lisa laughed earning a look from Nott.

"Then I guess it's a good thing that we're not going to take her tonight." the leader said, pulling Theo away. "She wasn't chosen. It was this one."

Lisa felt her heart leap into her throat as the leader pointed to Mandy. Mandy looked up, shock written on her face. Tears spilled from her eyes as realization hit her.

"No." She said softly shaking her head. "No, no. no. no. no."

"No." Lisa echoed. "No take me. Don't take her, take me. Take me."

"Admirable." The Death Eater said, humor in his voice. "But it isn't your time. It is hers."

The Death Eater holding Mandy lifted the young witch up and the leader tapped his wand to Mandy's temple. In a flash of light Mandy went limp, and then she was hefted over the Death Eater's shoulder.

"Get beyond the wards and take her to the Dark Lord. "Nott, Goyle, go with him. We'll obliviate the rest and join you soon."

"Not before I have my fun with Red here." Rabastan laughed and Susan whimpered.

"NO!" Lisa was shouting and struggling to get free. "Bring her back! Take me! TAKE ME!"

"Oh my sweet," The leader laughed, reaching out to stroke Lisa's cheek. "Your time will come."

"Wait." Rabastan said, dragging a kicking and screaming Susan by her arms which were now tied at the wrists. He dropped her on the ground in front of the girls, and placed his boot on her back to pin her down. "Before you do, let's give 'em a show, eh?"

A few of the Death Eaters seemed to like the idea and cheered for their leader to allow a bt of fun before it all had to end.

"It isn't like any of them will remember it, right?" One of the other Death Eaters said with a laugh. Some of the others joined in, but Lisa swore she heard at least one or two of her sisters scoff at the men.

"Why not?' The leader shrugged, stepping back to give all the girls a clear view of Susan who was crying hard now as Rabastian flipped her over and used his wand to vanish her bra. Susan struggled even harder as Rabastan began to roughly grope her. He seemed to get more excited the more Susan fought. A loud crack was heard as Rabastan back handed Susan across the face, which made all the girls try to get up to help their friend. Hannah, Mandy and Tracey were pleading for Rabastan to leave the red head alone, which Lisa felt only encouraged him to be more cruel.

"Where is he?" Hermione hissed trying to look anywhere but at the scene unfolding in front of her. "Please."

"Where is who?" The Death Eater holding her asked, yanking her head back. "Who you waiting for love? Ain't no one coming for you. Ain't no one knows what's happening."

"Alright Rabatan, get it over with." The Leader chuckled as he turned to the Death Eater on his right who had been standing silently in appreciation of their victory. "You have as long as it takes to obliviate our lovely priestesses. Bring me that one."

Hermione was roughly lifted up and forced to march forward before being violently shoved back onto her knees. The other girls were still struggling, and Susan's cries were becoming more and more heartbreaking as Rabastan continued to paw at the redhead. Hermione looked up defiantly, ready for him to do the very worst he could do. The leader lowered his wand to Hermione's temple and the young woman closed her eyes hoping that he didn't take too much of her memory.

Very suddenly it went quiet, save for Susan's cries. The laughter was gone, and the other girls had fallen silent. Hermione opened her eyes and looked up, gasping at the sight in front of her. The Death Eater leader was standing stock still, almost as if he were frozen. As Hermione's gaze shifted upward a bit higher she found that there was something protruding from the eyehole of the Death Eater's mask. A long black shaft that Hermione recognized as an arrow.

"What the fuck?" Rabastan snarled, looking over his shoulder. Nearly everyone else followed to find six sillouettes on the neighboring roof. The Death Eaters quickly began to regain their sense of the here and now as one of the sillouettes disappear and then very suddenly reappered right in the center of them.

"MAKE SURE THEY GET THE DARK LORD'S PRIZE OUT OF HERE!" Rabastan shouted, rising to his feet as three bright red spells lit up the night. Bedlam ensued as the newcomers initiated battle.

Phoenix twisted and using his bow, tripped Rabastan and knocked him to the ground. He followed up with a hard punch directly into the throat of the much bigger Death Eater. Phoenix grabbed his head and with a flash of white, Rabastan went still.

"THEY TOOK MANDY!" Lisa shouted. She was scrambling to her feet alone with Tracey who launched herself at the closest Death Eater shrieking like a banshee as she clawed and punched. Phoenix looked to where Lisa was pointing. Three Death Eaters sprinted through the roof access door.

"Don't let them take her!" Lisa pleaded.

Phoenix ran and leapt off the roof with absolutely no regard for his own well being.

"Is he out of his mind?" Lisa asked.

"Ask him later." Hannah shouted. "Help me!"

Lisa rushed over to Susan, and helped Hannah drag the redhead to safety behind one of Tracey's's conjured rocks. Hermione and Tracey joined them a moment later, all of them now watching the battle. Between Death Eaters and Phoenix's friends.

"That one has our wands!" Hermione said pointing to one of the Death Eaters who was battling with two of his comrades against one of Phoenix's compatriots.

"Let's take the bastard down." Tracey snarled. Hermione agreed and with Lisa backing them up, the three girls rushed the Death Eater, knocking him to the ground. His friends went to help, but the distraction cost them. One of them was sent flying hard into the boulder that Hannah and Susan were hiding behind, cracking his skull open. The other one had to focus now on his foe as Lisa, Hermione and Tracey all beat the living daylights out of the one who had their wands.

Tracey got her hands on a wand and used it to stun and bind the third Death Eater. The battle ended soon after the girls got their wands back.

"Bind them all and gather their wands." Kingsley Shacklebolt commanded. "Are you all alright?" He asked the girls.

"They took Mandy." Lisa said looking over her shoulder to where Phoenix had leapt off the roof. "Phoenix went after them."

"Then he'll get her back." Alastor Moody stated.

"I hope he doesn't kill them." Tonks whispered to Moody who gave a solemn nod. "He's only gonna get this one chance to change Kingsley's mind."

"Lad's gonna do what's right." Moody replied. Tonks gave him a grim look.

* * *

Phoenix landed with barely a sound, just as three Death Eaters from the roof made it onto the street. They all came up short as the hooded vigilante landed before them. Wands came up, but Phoenix was faster, and used his bow to trip the closest Death Eater, causing him to fall onto his partners, knocking them off balance.

One of the Death Eaters managed to hit Phoenix with a cutting hex, but Phoenix's armor kept him safe. The vigilante swung hard and caught the masked enemy in the jaw. The other two managed to get back to their feet and Phoenix held up his left hand and fired three blasting hexes. The first hit one of the Death Eathers square in the chest, crushing his rib cage and sending bone fragments into his lungs. The second one was hit in the legs, shattering his legs. Phoenix winced when he imagined reporting what happened to Shacklebolt.

Grabbing the third one, Phoenix knocked him out cold with a flash of white. The one with the broken legs sat up, grimacing in agony and made to fire a spell at Phoenix. The vigilante opened his hand and tore the wand right out of his foe's hands.

"Why don't you stay here a bit." Phoenix said as he snapped the wand in two before collecting the other two wands and repeating the process. "I'll send someone to collect you soon."

Tossing the broken wands onto the ground, Phoenix ran into the street, mildly admiring the muggle repelling work the Death Eaters had done with their wards. It meant a much easier time finding his foes. With a quick glance to his left and right, Phoenix spied three more robed Death Eaters heading away from Hermione Granger's building. They weren't moving fast as one of them had the unconscious form of Mandy Brocklehurst over his shoulder.

The hooded vigilante reached over his shoulder and pulled an arrow, nocking it and taking aim at the one with the girl on his shoulder.

"Glacius." Phoenix whispered and let the arrow fly. The lead Death Eater shrieked and fell to his knees, dropping the girl to the snow covered street. His partners turned and began firing spells at Phoenix who was already sprinting as fast as he could towards his foes.

"GET THE GIRL! GET HER OUT OF HERE NOW!" The lead Death Eater shouted as he struggled to pull his leg free of the block of ice that had encased his leg. He was trying to melt the ice with his wand, but it didn't seem to be working. His compartriots held their ground using some very deadly hexes at the black clad man who was quickly approaching.

Phoenix loosed a second arrow which caught the second Death Eater in the chest. He was sent flying backward and came to rest three feet away, his chest becoming cocooned in ice.

The last Death Eater looked at Phoenix and then his fellows. Thinking quickly he turned, fired off a series of spells at the street, sending dust and chunks of asphalt into the air. Phoenix ducked and rolled to avoid the biggest chunks. When he was back on his feet he saw the remaining Death Eater had dashed away. Phoenix began to follow but stopped short when he spied the unconscious form of Mandy Brocklehurst.

"When I get out of this I am going to burn you alive!"

Phoenix turned and regarded the Death Eater still trying to melt out of the ice holding him.

"You're going to need something a lot hotter than that to melt that ice." Phoenix said. The vigilante approached the Death Eater who tried to rise to the challenge only to be hit in the face by a gloved fist. Unable to keep his balance the Death Eater fell over. His full weight on his ice entrapped leg made it break with a sickening crack, followed by a high pitch girlish scream of pain. Phoenix approached, and grabbed the face of the shrieking Death Eater and silence him with another flash of white.

Phoenix quickly check the last Death Eater who was already unconscious after hitting his head on the street. He quickly snatched up the wands of the Death Eaters and slipped them into a pocket on his leg. He then went over and checked over Mandy to make sure she wasn't hurt before reviving her.

"NO!" She shrieked and started to scramble away before her mind re-engaged and she took in her surroundings.

"You're safe now." Phoenix stated. "Just take a few deep breaths and the disorientation will go away."

"Y-you came." Mandy said looking up at Phoenix. "You really came."

Phoenix offered his hand and helped Mandy to her feet. She wobbled a bit, but Phoenix held onto her until she was steady. "I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner. I was otherwise occupied."

"But you came." Mandy said and then launched herself at Phoenix, hugging him gratefully.

"We should get you back to your friends. They're probably worried sick." Phoenix said. "If you think you're alright, I can apparate us there."

"Yeah." Mandy nodded.

Phoenix wrapped his arm around Mandy's shoulder and with the faintest pop, the pair disappeared and reappeared on the roof.

* * *

"WHAT THE FUCK?"

"HOLD YOUR WANDS!" Kingsley shouted when Phoenix appeared in the middle of the roof again with Mandy.

"Mandy!" Lisa shouted as she ran and embraced her friend. "I thought we'd lost you.'

"He came for me." Mandy replied.

"The ones that took her?" Kingsley said with a suspicious look at Phoenix.

"Only one got away. The other two are quite immobilized at the moment. I will free them when you're ready to take them. But we need to discuss the continued safety of these my friends." Phoenix said motioning to the six girls.

"When you say immobilized…" Kingsley said and Phoenix seemed to become agitated.

"I kept my word to the best of my ability. A couple of them might not have fared as well as you would have liked." He said quickly.

"You gave your word!" Kingsley shouted. "And if you're going to work with us, you have to follow our rules. We have laws. You can't just…"

"Do you really believe that any of those bastards give two shits about your laws?" Phoenix asked coldly. "This is war. A war that you keep thinking you can win with arrests and courts. But they keep managing to get free. They've escaped your justice too many times to count. And because of that, more innocent blood is going to be shed and that blood will be on your hands."

"Don't fucking tell me what needs to be done you arrogant little prick!" Kingsley snarled, shoving Tonks aside to get at Phoenix. The leather clad vigilante clutched Kingsley's outstretch hand, twisted it, and flipped the large black man onto the floor before kneeling down beside him, holding Kingsley arm behind his back. Dawlish and Gallagher both took aim at Phoenix but Tonks and Moody stepped into their paths, protecting the vigilante.

"Listen to me Auror Shacklebolt." Phoenix said calmly. "I intend on keeping my word to Albus Dumbledore and stopping Voldemort once and for all. It will go much faster and much easier with us working together. I told you before that I am not your enemy. If you feel that you can't trust me, and you aren't willing to work with me, then fine. We can part ways peacefully and I bear you no ill will. You're a good man Kingsley, and your dedication to justice is admirable. But justice isn't going to end this war, and I warn you not to work against me.

"I think you've made your point." Moody shouted. "Let him up lad, or you'll answer to me."

Phoenix released his hold and actually pulled Kingsley to his feet and backed away, keeping his hands out to show he meant no harm. Kingsley glowered at the vigilante, especially when the six young woman moved in closer to him.

"Before you and Kingsley had your lovers spat, the ladies were telling us what happened. Seems the Death Eaters intend on taking them one at a time, so we need to get them into hiding." Moody said.

"That'll be complicated seeing as they seem to be tracking us by our marks." Lisa said, indicating her left side.

"They wanted to obliviate us so we wouldn't remember tonight." Hermione pointed out. "I think they wanted to remove all of memories of being Oigh ban-dia."

"What is that, some kind of rock band?" Moody asked.

"It's the reason You-Know-Who is after them." Tonks explained. "They're some sort of special witches with great power. We think he's using them to regain strength. It's why we have four bodies covered in runes. At least we think that's why."

"So it's very important that they are protected." Phoenix said.

"We can give them round the clock protection…" Gallagher started but Moody cut him off.

"One or two Aurors isn't going to cut it. They sent a full force to bring one girl. Not to mention that they're spread out. And you heard them Kingsley, they told us the Death Eaters only want one at a time. Ol' Snakeface is on a schedule."

"I actually have a proposition." Phoenix said turning to regard the girls. "But it would mean serious sacrifice on your parts. It would mean being unable to see friends, or family. It would mean leaving your jobs until I can find Voldemort and end this once and for all."

"You have a safe house." Hermione said, realizing what Phoenix was proposing.

"You need us to essentially disappear." Mandy said looking reluctant.

"Can you think of a better way for the Death Eaters to stop hunting us?" Tracey asked. "If they can't find us, they can't take us for whatever it is they want us for."

"I'll go." Susan said quickly. "My Aunt will freak out if I go missing, but if it means I'll be safe, then…

"We might be able to assure your Aunt that you're safe." Tonks stated.

"If Susan's going, then I'm going too." Hannah said wrapping an arm around her best friend.

"I think I'd prefer that arrangement too." Lisa added, looking to Phoenix with a soft smile. "He seems more willing to do whatever it takes to keep us out of harm."

"Ladies, please consider what he's asking of you." Kingsley began. "You don't know him. For all you know, he could…"

"He's not the killer." Hermione stated flatly. "Without him we wouldn't know what these marks mean, and most of us would have been killed by Death Eaters."

"None of the rest of you swan dived off the roof of a six story building to save a girl you barely know." Lisa pointed out.

"There's less chance of old snake face finding out where they're hidden with him than with us." Tonks nodded, looking to Kingsley. "Even though I'm sure everyone in the department is on the up and up. But there's too many people who would know their location. Too much paperwork. To many loose ends to keep track of. All it would take is one of us to get taken…"

"You-Know-Who'd rip their mind apart to find them again." Moody agreed.

"I think it'd be in our best interests to go with Phoenix." Tracey said. "I don't like not being able to see my family, but if I can at least write them and let them know I'm safe, I'm good with that."

"That shouldn't be a problem." Phoenix said, glancing at the girls over his shoulder.

"How can we be sure that you won't kill them?" Kingsley asked, still clinging to his prejudice. Tonks rolled her eyes and groaned.

Phoenix quickly thought the problem over and came up with several possible solutions, all of which would need to be examined carefully. He knew he needed advice on the matter, and he wouldn't get that here. He looked up at Kingsley

"Alright." He said. "Give me two days to make arrangements. The girls will go with you for forty eight hours. I will then arrange for them to be brought to my safe house. When that happens, I will also give you a way that you will be able to check in on the women at any time you wish. Is that acceptable to you?"

Gallagher, Tonks and Dawlish all nodded. Kingsley folded his arms across his broad chest, considering it before he finally gave a nod of consent. The girls still looked tense as Phoenix turned to address them.

"Stay together." He said. "You fought well together. Enough to allow me time to come to your aid. That isn't nothing. In two days I will bring you to a safe location and I swear to you that I will find a way to end this and allow you all to get back to your lives."

The girls all relaxed at this, and Lisa even whispered a heartfelt thank you, which he acknowledged with a slight nod.

"What do we do in the meantime?" Hermione asked.

"We could put you up in a hotel in London, close to the Ministry." Tonks suggested. "We don't tell anyone they're there that way we don't risk anyone giving it away. Also, we don't use Ministry resources.

"I could keep an eye on them." Moody nodded. "Get a room across the hall or something. I'm not associated with the Aurors anymore, and it's likely no one's looking for me, though you never know."

"How do we cover the cost?" Kingsley asked. Phoenix reached into his vest and pulled out a wad of muggle money which he handed to Lisa who was closest.

"That should cover the rooms and food." He said. "You should all get whatever you need and be ready to move the moment you hear from me."

"Alright then." Moody clapped his hands together. "We have a plan. I like it."

"Two days." Phoenix said as he backed to the edge of the roof and stepped off, vanishing without a sound.

"Gotta learn how he does that trick." Moody chuckled to himself. "Let's go ladies, ain't no sense waiting around here for those masked idiots to come snatch you all up."

* * *

Theo Nott stumbled slightly as he appeared in the dark stone entrance way that served as the apparition point for all Death Eaters. He took a moment to get his breathing under control once again, while drying his robes. He had a lot to report and he knew that he would be paying for his failure. The Dark Lord was not going to be pleased at all, and Nott was stalling and he knew it. He removed his mask, and gave it a cursory look. There was a long scorch mark across it and Nott shook his head as he stuffed it in an inner pocket in his robes. He then waved his wand over his robes, repairing any other damage they had suffered during the night's mission.

Footsteps echoed down the hall and Nott looked up to see two robed people approaching. He lifted his wand and lit the torches on either side of him, bathing the room on gentle orange light.

"Theo?" The first man said looking around. "Where are the others? Where is the girl?"

The man, Theodore Nott Sr. looked puzzled by the emptiness of the room. No less than twenty Death Eaters had left earlier in the evening and now only one had returned.

"We had trouble. The one Cornwall told us about showed up, and he brought friends with him. Goyle had the girl and we were nearly at the wards when that bastard stopped us. I think I was the only one to get away." Nott Jr. explained angrily.

"Where is Rabastian?" the second man asked grimly, and Nott Jr. shivered at his dark eyed glare.

Rudolphus LeStrange was one of the most feared Death Eaters in all of those in Lord Voldemort's service, eclipsed only by his wife.

"Dead." Theo said flatly. Rudolphus stared at him for a long tense moment before spinning on his heel and walking back down the hall. Nott Sr. gave his son a grim look and waved him to follow.

"You know what's going to happen when you report your failure." Nott Sr. said quietly. His son nodded, gritting his teeth in anticipation. "Own your failure, do not pass the blame. He will likely go a little easier on you if you take all the blame. The Dark lord is merciful… sometimes. And do not try and hide anything from him. Open your mind and allow him to see everything. After that… just try and endure."

"I will." Theo said. They walked up two flights of stairs and entered a long hall not unlike Hogwarts Great Hall. On either side stood gathered Death Eaters all in their robes, though the bone white masks were absent. Theo recognized a few faces. People he considered friends, or people he'd attended Hogwarts with. They all looked at him with the same expression. Concern.

At the end of the hall in a large ornately carved chair sat the Dark Lord himself. He was draped in matte black robes, and large hood covering his head, and hiding the open wounds on his face. He sat flexing his fingers experimentally as if they were a new novelty. His blood red lidless eyes turned to consider the two Nott men as they approached.

"Where are the rest?' The Dark Lord asked, his voice sounding far stronger than the body appeared to be. "Did I not send more of my faithful to retrieve a new priestess?"

Nott Jr. knelt before the Dark Lord, bowing his head. "We were ambushed my lord." Theo claimed, looking up into his master's eyes and opening his mind as he'd been counseled. "It was the one Cornwall told us about after he'd failed in Diagon Alley."

"Silence." The Dark Lord hissed. He rose from his throne like a man in great pain, and stepped forward, kneeling down and taking Nott's chin in his long fingers. The connection was instant and Nott found himself reliving the night's mission. He saw the ward being activated, and the repelling charms being cast. He stood by and watched as many muggles got into cars, or walked away, all believing they had urgent business to attend to elsewhere. He then followed his comrades to the non-descript building and breaking into Granger's flat and the chase and the battle that ensued. He swore he felt the fire that engulfed him before one of his team doused him in water. He saw the girls all kneeling again, and the confirmation that they all still bore the mark of the Oigh Ban-dia. He saw himself, Gregory Goyle and one other rushing to get the limp form of Mandy Brocklehurst to the wards and finally, the black leather clad hero and his show of immense power and finally his return to the castle.

When the connection ended, Theo felt his head go fuzzy, and thought he might pass out. It was an intense feeling that Nott hoped he'd never have to repeat. When his vision cleared he saw the Dark Lord pacing in front of him, deep in thought.

"He is stronger than I had anticipated." Voldemort said to himself. Theo wanted to ask, but thought it best to remain quiet. He'd seen for himself too many time what happened to those who wished to gain knowledge from their master when he was unwilling to enlighten his faithful.

Voldemort ceased his pacing and set his attention back to the younger Nott.

"It appears that you have forestalled my recovery young Master Nott." The Dark Lord said. "While the others fought our new enemy, you should have had the wherewithal to summon the girl to you before escaping with your life, but you failed to think."

"I will take all responsibility for failing you my lord." Nott said, lowering his eyes, and mentally preparing for the pain he knew was coming. He only hoped that the Dark Lord would not linger to long on his punishment.

"Now I am forced to wait an entire month until we can harvest a Priestess." The Dark lord continued. "However, you have unwittingly given us an opportunity to prepare to end the meddling of our new friend. Perhaps is should take that into consideration. Rise, my servant."

Theodore Nott Jr. rose to his feet, his mind whirling. Everything thing in his body was screaming at him to run and hide. His fear was becoming all consuming and Theo found himself mentally pleading for the master to just Crucio him and be done with it.

The dark lord slipped his wand from his sleeve and stared at Nott without any emotion. Nott fought against his instincts to back away as Voldemort raised his wand. Nott shut his eyes, wincing at the pain he knew was coming.

Nott was encompassed by a strange black glow and the cracking of bone echoed through the hall, causing everyone in attendance to grimace and gasp in horror as Nott's form was contorted and reformed. Nott didn't scream. He couldn't. his throat had tighten to the point of constriction, and he tried to claw at it, yet his limbs would not obey him. The pain he felt in his every nerve ending was maddening.

His fingers were elongated and his hands changed to gnarled claw like abominations. His forearms were lengthen and his spine cracked as it was bent. Nott's teeth cracked and broke as his jaw clenched. His feet lengthened and his muscles contracted and rearranged themselves into a new configuration.

And then it was over, and Theodore Nott Jr. fell in a heap on the floor. His robes were torn to shreds, and he was whining like a beaten dog. The Dark Lord nodded to two of his faithful who rushed forward and grabbed Nott by his sweating elongated arms and began to drag him away.

"See that he is well fed, and cared for. I have great plans for young Master Nott." Voldemort called out before returning to his seat. "I wish to be alone."

As one the Death Eaters who lined the walls turned and left the hall. Among them, a young woman of nineteen whose heart would not stop pounding in her chest.

She had seen other punished for their failing, but tonight's example was above and beyond anything she had witnessed before. She knew without a doubt that this was an example of the Dark Lord's growing strength, and worse still… she would one day add to his strength. Unless she could find a way to escape.

She had witnessed the ritual that would mark those thirteen women whom her master sought. She had witnessed the construction of the very first divining wand that helped the Death Eaters locate the marked. She had heard the details of the reports of those tasked with tracking the first girl, and had been a part of every harvest ritual at the full moon since. She knew what fate awaited her, and she wanted nothing to do with it.

She had never wanted this for herself.

She had never wanted to serve Lord Voldemort. She had never bought into the pureblood belief of superiority. How could she have when she had seen first hand just how strong half-bloods and Muggleborns could be. But most of all, she hadn't wanted to be marked.

Now she was running out of time, and she had no other options. She could either step forward and reveal that she was one of the Oigh Ban-dia and make the ultimate sacrifice for a cause she didn't believe in and give her life and magic to a… man, whom she had no love for.

Or she could try and reach out to the other marked and see if they would help her.

She just needed something that would show the marked that she was on their side, and that she wasn't going to betray them. Something invaluable.

And that's when Pansy Parkinson knew what she needed.

She had seen them just once, but she knew exactly where they'd be kept. It would be difficult, to say the least. Damn near impossible. It would take planning and patience. But Pansy was sure she could get them, and when she did, she'd have something to bargain with.

After all, knowledge was the greatest weapon.


	17. Chapter 17

A heavy knock on the door startled the four girls within the hotel room. Lisa and Hermione had their wands in their hands almost instantly, while Mandy fumbled about to get her wand out of her pocket without dropping it while Tracey came out of the bathroom with her wand at the ready at the same time trying to get her jeans fastened. All four girls stared at the door, just waiting for it to explode open.

Ever since the attack two days ago, the girls had all been on high alert, and had barely slept. The four of them had share a room while Susan and Hannah had been next door with Auror Tonks staying with them. Mad-Eye Moody had been across the hall, only appearing to bring them food. Aurors Shacklebolt, Dawlish and Gallagher had been in and out during the last forty-eight hours, none of them having any idea of where they were going or when Phoenix would take them.

"Come on ladies, the car is waiting.  
Auror Tonks shouted through the door, and some of the tension waned. Hermione went to the door, and peered through the spy hole, and seeing Tonks, Susan and Hannah in the hall, finally lowered her wand and opened the door.

"You're so lucky it wasn't Mad-Eye." Tonks said, looking disappointed. "Security questions ladies. You let you're guard down, and you may as well line up for the Death Eaters. Now come on, let's go."

The ladies all grabbed their bags and followed Tonks to the elevator where Moody was waiting. When they were inside, Moody cleared his throat.

"We got word about an hour ago to take you lot to a little park not to far away." He said gruffly. "Shacklebolt secured us a car. In twenty minutes, you lot will be safer than you were at Hogwarts."

"And how do you know that?" Hannah asked. "Did you see where we're going?"

"No." Moody said with a shake of his head. "But I trusted Dumbledore, and Phoenix is here because of Albus. Your headmaster didn't mess around when into came to protecting the people he cared about, and I don't think our hooded friend takes his job lightly either."

The elevator opened and Moody donned a cap, hiding his magical blue eye as he led the ladies into the lobby where they were greeted by Gallagher, who opened the door. There was a shiny black car waiting for them and John Dawlish was sitting in the driver's seat. Kingsley Shacklebolt stood by the open door looking about for any signs of danger. All three Aurors were dressed in black suits with long gray coats.

It looked like an ordinary sedan from the outside, but as the girls slid into the back seat, it was clear this car had been magically expanded… In moments, they were merging into traffic.

The ride was spent in tense silence. Each of the girls contemplating what had become of their lives, and if Phoenix could do what he had promised. The only thing they knew for sure was that they were essentially being locked away, with no idea when they would be able to return to their lives.

"There it is." Kingsley said motioning to a small park in a rundown neighborhood. There was only one street light, and it was on its last leg. Dawlish pulled the car to a smooth stop and parked it.

"I don't like this." Tonks said. "It's too open."

The instructions were clear." Dawlish said. He opened the door and stepped out. Shacklebolt, Gallagher and Moody all followed and when they were sure it was clear, the girls were allowed to exit the car followed by Auror Tonks.

"So what happens now?" Susan asked, unable to hide the worry in her voice. The other girls' expressions mirror Susan's concern, and the Aurors had no further information outside of, "We're to wait for him."

They were standing on the sidewalk in front of a small rather decrepit looking park with wrought iron fencing that looked ready to disintegrate from all the rust. Something rustled in a nearby bush and just before Moody blasted it, a small mangy looking cat darted out from the bush and sprinted across the street.

"Aurors."

Everyone turned and gasped when they found Phoenix emerging from the dark of the park entrance, almost as if the darkness was coalescing to form a corporeal humanoid. He had his bow slung over his back along with his quiver. He looked them over and stepped forward into the light a bit more.

"That's a good way to get yourself killed lad." Moody huffed. "I very nearly blasted your head off."

"You knew I was there Mad-Eye." Phoenix said, motioning to the retired Auror's face. Moody grimaced and then began to smirk.

"You're harder to see than most." Moody admitted.

"That's the idea." Phoenix said as he passed by them all. "Thank you Aurors, The ladies will be safe with me now."

"So that's it?" Dawlish asked bitterly. "Were we just couriers or something?"

"Dawlish, that's enough." Shacklebolt said sourly. "He agreed to allow the ladies to inform us on how they're doing. We don't hear from them, and we'll find him."

"As agreed." Phoenix said.

Reluctantly, the Aurors began to climb back into the car with Tonks and Moody lingering.

"We're ready anytime you need us lad." Moody said quietly. "You call; we'll bring the cavalry, as the Americans say."

"You take care of them, you hear me?" Tonks said, punching phoenix in the shoulder.

"Anything develops, and I'll be sure to let you know." Phoenix replied, gripping Tonks' shoulder firmly for a moment before stepping back. Tonks and Moody got into the car, and a few seconds late, the Aurors drove away, with Tonks staring at them all through the rear window. When the car rounded the corner and was gone from sight, Phoenix turned to the girls who all looked somewhere between frightfully agitated, to fell blown terror.

"This way." the hooded vigilante said, and led them across the street. He stopped them between to of the brown brickstones, which Lisa noted were addressed Eleven and Thirteen. She wasn't the only one to notice the discrepancy.

"Hey, where is…" Mandy began to ask when Phoenix held up a hand for silence.

"Please join hands. This is going to be very weird." He said. The girls did as he instructed, and Phoenix took hold of Tracey's hand as she was closest to him and began leading her towards the wrought iron fence.

"Step up… now." Phoenix said, and Tracey did, stumbling slightly as her foot found the step. She gave a shocked expression to Phoenix. And then she gasped as another hand wrapped around her wrist. She started to struggle when Phoenix told her that she was safe.

In another moment, the ladies found themselves lined up in a dark entry hall, all of them looking back to see the street behind them through a door. Phoenix entered and shut the door. At once light came up slowly and the girls found a very pretty woman standing there smiling at them.

"Welcome." She said with a heavy Swedish accent. "I'm so happy you're all here. Please follow me."

The girls showed some reluctance until Phoenix reassured them that they were safe. They all walked a bit further into the house and around a corner until they found themselves into a dining room with a long oak table. There was tea and some food waiting for them, and two men at the far end, both rising from their chairs and smiling warmly.

"You're Sirius Black!" Susan Bones shouted, fear bubbling up.

"Oh I knew it!" Tracey snapped, pulling her wand. "We walked right into this trap."

"We trusted you!" Hannah cried.

"Ladies please." Sirius said, holding up both hands to show he meant no harm. "This is no trap."

"But you're Sirius Black!" Susan shouted, her wand now leveled at Sirius.

"Everybody knows you were one of You-Know-Who's biggest supporter!" Tracey snapped.

"You killed the Potters." Mandy added.

"No!" Sirius snarled, and the girls all flinched.

"If he had, he wouldn't be here now." Phoenix said from behind them, causing them all to turn and aim their wands at him. "I would have killed him."

There was a pause as the girls registered what he had said, and their fear became confusion.

"Allow me to introduce Annalise Black." Phoenix said motioning to the beautiful blonde next to him who gave a small nod of her head before slipping past them and into the dining room where she began to pour tea. "Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin."

The girls still looking confused made no move to sit down, or put their wands away.

"And you are?" Annalise said as a way of nudging things forward.

"Uh, Hermione Granger."

"Susan bones."

"Hannah Abbott."

"Tracey Davis."

"Mandy Brocklehurst."

"Lisa Turpin."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all." Sirius said, motioning for them to join them at the table. Phoenix took his bow and quiver and set them down on a small table in the corner, and slipped into the dining room, slowly the girls followed suit, and eventually they all sat down and were passed a steaming cup of tea.

"You've all shown a lot of trust in me, and I feel it's only fair if I return that trust." Phoenix said, and then reached up and lowered his hood, revealing a young handsome face, with messy jet black hair, and bright emerald green eyes.

"I know you!" Hermione shouted at once. "We met you at that ball! You're James… James something."

"Actually, my name is Harry Potter." Phoenix stated. Both Sirius and Remus smiled proudly at the young man while the girls all looked at him with disbelief.

The stunned silence that followed was deafening. Phoenix, or rather, Harry gave them all a soft smile as he slipped the quiver of arrows and his bow from his body and set it on a small table in the corner. He and Annalise walked around the girls into the kitchen. Sirius and Remus sat down as Harry took a seat.

"Perhaps it would be best if we started from the beginning." Annalise suggested.

Lisa, who was closest to Harry, looked at him for a long moment before opening her mouth. "Why, of all the people you could claim to be, would you tell us you're Harry Potter?"

"She's right; it doesn't make any sense at all." Hermione added. "Everyone knows Harry Potter was killed with his parents. Why would you claim to be him?"

"If this is your way of earning our trust, you're off to a shitty start." Tracey added.

"Ladies, I can assure you he is Harry Potter." Sirius stated.

"But how can that be?" Susan wanted to know.

"Voldemort killed Harry's parents, just as you've been told. James died in an attempt to allow lily and Harry to escape, and Lily gave her life to protect Harry. Dumbledore wasn't certain, but He believed that upon her sacrifice, she locked in a sort of protection for her son." Sirius said, looking at Harry who was steadfastly staring at the table, avoiding anyone else's gaze. Sirius knew how much his godson hated this story, but he had agreed that the girls would have to know.

"When Voldemort turned his wand on Harry, the curse rebounded and destroyed Voldemort's body, and would have killed him if he hadn't already taken steps to prevent his death. When Dumbledore arrived, he quickly figured out what must have happened. I arrived shortly after, and I had to convince him that I had not been the secret keeper like everyone thought. I allowed him access to my mind, and through Legillimency, he saw I was being truthful. It was then that we decided that Harry had to leave for his own safety. He then went on to craft the tale that Harry had died along with his mother and father. There was a private ceremony, and no one was allowed to see the bodies. They were buried in Godric's Hollow and that was it. For all intents and purposes, Harry remains dead and only Dumbledore and the Goblins were aware that he still drew breath."

"The Goblins knew" Susan asked with a surprised look.

"Had all the Potter line been wiped out that night, the goblins would have been well within their right to seize the gold, and they would have passed any possessions, books, and art, whatever to the Ministry." Remus explained. "As Harry was still alive, it was business as usual."

"We realized the goblins not only knew Harry was alive, but where he was when he received his first statement at age ten, when the Potters will was executed. Harry came into control of his fortune per his parents instructions. We were worried that someone might try and track Harry, but thanks to Dumbledore's story, and the goblins discretion, it never happened."

"The fact that we never stayed anywhere for longer than necessary helped." Harry remarked.

"Dumbledore crafted the tale that Harry died that night to protect him, so that I could take him out of the country. Even then he knew that Voldemort wasn't finished."

"But why wouldn't he have just warned everyone?" Hermione asked impatiently. "Why let everyone believe that the war was over?"

"Because we needed a rest.' Remus chimed in. "We had been fighting for over twenty years. People were terrified, and no one knew who they could trust. We were fighting ourselves as much as we were fighting his forces. That was his greatest weapon. Sowing mistrust and fear. That night, Dumbledore saw a chance to give us what we needed most. A respite from fear. A chance to come together again."

"During that time, he had a chance to learn Voldemort's darkest secrets." Sirius stated. "And it gave me a chance to prepare Harry for what he is now destined to do."

"Destined?" Lisa asked, looking between Sirius and Harry who was staring into his mug of tea next to her. The blonde was stunned to see a dark shadow pass over the handsome young man's face, and a great weight settle onto his shoulders. She couldn't say why, but in that moment, Harry looked as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, and she felt a sort of sadness for him.

"I don't want to talk about that right now." He said grimly. "Suffice to say that I am the only one who can end this."

"I took Harry to study with the greatest masters around the world. China, Bulgaria, Norway, Brazil, America, Japan, South Africa, Tibet, Nepal. We've been around the world twice and Harry and I learned more than even Dumbledore knew. And we're not being humble. He told us himself." Sirius said with no small amount of pride. Harry even gave the barest of smiles at his godfather's praise.

"You said earlier that You-Know-Who…" Hermione began but Harry looked up sharply.

"Rule number one in this house." He said sternly. "We don't allow fear to rule over us. His name is Voldemort. We're not going to give him anymore power by fearing a stupid made up name."

"Made up?" Tracey looked confused.

"Dumbledore told us that his real name was Tom Marvolo Riddle.' Sirius continued. "He had been a student many years ago at Hogwarts."

"You said he had taken steps to protect himself." Hermione said after a moment. "What did you mean?"

"The first thing you need to understand is that Voldemort has only one thing he fears." Remus began, looking at them all in turn. "And it's the only thing that he can't stop because it comes for us all in the end. Even with his protections, it will find him."

"What is it?" Mandy asking what the others were all wondering.

"Death." Harry said softly.

"Voldemort spent a good portion of his life hunting down ways in which he could stop himself from dying." Sirius continued. "And he found a way. He did something that…"

"He split his soul." Harry cut off his godfather.

"Split his soul?" Lisa asked incredulously.

"How is that even possible?" Tracey wondered aloud.

"Through the most heinous act." Sirius replied. "Murder."

"Okay, I think I'm officially lost. Lisa held up her hands for everyone to stop. "So You-Know…"

Lisa stopped when Harry gave her a sideways look and cleared her throat.

"V-Voldemort split his soul in order to prevent himself from dying, but still somehow Harry defeated him as a baby, but didn't kill him. Do I have that right?" the blonde asked and Sirius and Harry nodded while Remus remained silent, and Annalise shifted in her seat.

"So with these protections he created, how is Harry supposed to kill him?" Lisa asked. The other girls seemed to catch onto that thread and looked to Harry in curious bafflement. Harry shifted and Sirius took a deep breath.

"Dumbledore destroyed them all. All save one, which Harry managed to get rid of. And that brings us to the present." Sirius said, glancing to his godson.

"When Voldemort and Dumbledore faced each other, all of his protections had been destroyed. If Dumbledore were a younger man, or had used more powerful spells, or any of a number of different things, he might have defeated Voldemort. And we aren't sure if Voldemort was already working on his new method for immortality. This is why he's hunting all of you. Somehow he's come up with a way to drain you of your magic. If he manages to get all thirteen of you, there's a good chance that he may get what's he's sought for so long."

"Immortality." Hermione whispered.

"So, not to be crude here, but is there any reason to think that if we just lose our virginity that he won't be after us anymore?" Tracey asked her face slightly pink. The other Oigh Ban-dia all shuffled uncomfortably while Sirius and Remus looked at each other and then at Harry, who could feel the dagger like gaze of Annalise from across the table. Harry knew exactly what the woman was thinking, and knew that he was likely going to get a heaping helping of teasing later.

"I don't know." He confessed. "To be perfectly honest, I don't know much more about your situation than I do. I don't know what you're capable of or how you can tap into this power. And I don't know that I care. I promised to keep you safe and Voldemort away from you. My single goal is to kill him once and for all, and if hiding you from him helps me to do that and keeps you alive, than the entire better.

"But how are you supposed to beat Voldemort?" Hermione pressed. "Even if he was older, and maybe not at his best, Dumbledore was an extremely powerful wizard and he couldn't manage it. No offense, because I've seen you do some pretty amazing stuff, but you're using a bow and arrows and simple muggle weapons. How exactly do you plan on winning with that stuff?"

"Yeah, that's puzzled me as well." Hannah piped up. "I know my memory is fuzzy because we drank a lot that night, but I know I saw you do some amazing magic to stop those Death Eaters."

"How did you set those Death Eaters on fire when you rescued me?" Lisa asked.

"I know you used wandless magic that night you helped me." Hermione continued. "Not even Dumbledore could do it. He told me so himself."

"And the hood." Tracey pointed to Harry. "How does it hide your face so well?"

"The voices too." Mandy wanted to know.

Harry gave a small smirk before slipping his wand from his left gauntlet to show them all. Sirius and Annalise were grinning as well, while the girls all looked very puzzled.

"No one witch or wizard is capable of wandless magic." Harry explained. "It always needs a conduit."

"Even covens choose one of their own to act as a conduit." Sirius added.

Harry held up his left arm and pointed to one of the crystals. "These work similarly to a wand, without the disadvantage of becoming disarmed, and give the illusion that I can do things no one else can. They also help to amplify my spells, which is a plus. As for the bow and arrows… well, I find that most wizards don't expect to be attacked by such primitive muggle weaponry."

Harry rose from his seat and went to the small table where his quiver rested and pulled one of the arrows and handed it to Susan who was closest now.

"Each arrow is etched with runes. They work to store whatever magic I imbue them with when I draw it. I whisper whatever spell I want to use, and the magic flows from my gauntlets into the arrow where it's stored until it impacts its target." Harry explained as the girls passed the arrow around, studying the runes that were embedded in the shaft. They were hard to see, and it was only really by feeling the arrow that they could then spot the runes. The craftsmanship was quite good, though they didn't really have anything to compare it to.

"Ok, that's pretty clever." Tracey admitted as she examined the arrow.

"That's brilliant." Lisa said smiling at Harry who sat next to her once again, handing him back the arrow.

"What about the hood?" Hermione asked, looking hungrily at Harry. Lisa and the other girls all shook their heads or rolled their eyes. Hermione's thirst for knowledge was rather legendary.

"Another time." Sirius interrupted. "We actually need to discuss your situation. Miss Granger and Miss Davis now work for me, as far as the Ministry is concerned. I have chosen you two be personal assistants. I was able to pull a few strings and arrange for that. Miss Brocklehurst is now in the employ of my wife Annalise. Miss Bones, Miss Turpin, and Miss Abbott, as none of you work for the Ministry; I will see to it that you are compensated for any wages lost during your time with us. However, your families need to be informed that you are safe. If you haven't already, I would like it very much if you wrote letters to them, and we will see them delivered."

"My Aunt isn't going to be satisfied with a letter." Susan stated. "She's going to have every Auror hunting for me."

"We sort of figured that." Sirius remarked, glancing at Harry.

"Which is why I will be delivering your letter to her personally?" Harry stated. "It'll give me a chance to speak to her."

"No offense, but I don't think she's going to be very welcoming." Susan warned.

"I don't expect her to be, but I'm hoping she'll at least hear what I have to say before she tries to arrest me." Harry replied. "Sirius has always told me what a good person Amelia Bones was. Someone in her position would be a great asset to me, and I'm hoping that we might come to an understanding. I'm hoping that you'll help me."

"I'll do what I can." Susan smiled, and Harry gave her a grateful look.

"It's quite late." Annalise said, gaining everyone's attention. "And our guests have had a difficult few days. I think it best that we show them their rooms and allow them a good rest."

"I agree." Sirius nodded, rising from his seat. "While you are here, we will do our best to provide you with anything you need, but you must not leave the house for any reason. Remus will be in every few days to bring food and supplies as well as collect letters and see if you need anything else. Harry will be here the rest of the time."

"I only have one request and that is that you stay out of the third floor." Harry said, rising to his feet as well. "Other than that, you have free reign of the house. This level has the kitchen, dining room, sitting room and the library."

"Hermione perked up at that, and Tracey nudged her friend playfully.

"The second floor is mostly bedrooms. Six in total, so some of you will have to bunk together. And remember, there are others out there that if we can find them could be joining us." Harry went on.

"I'll bunk with Hermione." Tracey smiled, wrapping her arm through her best friends. Hermione gave the auburn haired girl a smile.

"Susan and I are already roommates, and to be honest, I don't know how well I'm going to sleep in a strange house without her company." Hannah said with a shrug.

"I'd miss you too sweetie.' Susan smirked.

"Well I don't want to be on my own." Mandy remarked and Lisa chuckled.

"Like I would let that happen." The blonde witch smiled at her best friend.

"Follow me ladies." Annalise said, and ushered them out of the dining room and upstairs to get settled.

When they were gone, Sirius turned to Harry. "I honestly didn't expect for you to share so much right away. You just let me babble on and on."

"It helped put them at ease." Harry shrugged. "And I wasn't kidding when I told them that they deserve my trust as well. They're giving up their lives to stay here with me. That took a lot of faith on their part. It was only fair. I'm sure they'll learn more about me as this goes on."

"Just be careful." Sirius said, clapping his godson on the shoulder. "The way some of them looked at you was more than just being grateful. Don't play with their hearts or anything. I raised you better than that."

"You're sounding like Anna." Harry warned and Sirius rolled his eyes.

"When are you planning on visiting Madam Bones?" Remus interrupted.

"Batman needs his Commissioner Gordon, right?" Sirius asked with a pointed look.

"The sooner the better." Harry sighed, running a gloved hand through his messy black hair. "I should have gone to her in the beginning before things got all complicated. Maybe with Susan's help I can get the Ministry off my back."

"What about that idea the Aurors had of saying you were a hit wizard?" Remus asked.

"It's a good cover, but it'll only last for so long." Harry stated. "Eventually someone's going to figure out the vigilante and Phoenix are one in the same. If I can gain her as an ally, then I can circumvent all that, and maybe gain access to information that's above my Auror contacts pay grade."

"Than you should go as soon as you can." Sirius nodded in agreement. "When do you think you'll attempt it?"

* * *

At the same time that the ladies were being moved from their hotel to their new safe house, Neville Longbottom was back in Diagon Alley trying to stave off his growing disillusionment. For nearly two months he'd been coming into the shopping district in the hopes of finding the so-called vigilante. So far, he'd seen nothing, and no one he'd talked to had seen him either. His frustration was mounting with every night he came and meandered through the street because this was the only way he could think of finding Harry Potter.

He'd tried a letter, but the owl returned after ten days and had looked confused and tired. Augusta Longbottom guessed that Potter clearly had charmed himself so owls could not find him. She thought it might have been possible for Potter to use some kind of bastardization of the unplottable charm.

Neville wanted to speak to Sirius Black, but he'd been unable to gain any sort of meeting. Sirius was ignoring Neville's requests, and Augusta hadn't been able to get the man alone either. Neville and his Gran both agreed that Sirius would likely deny everything in order to protect Harry Potter.

So that left Neville with the last option of watching and waiting for the opportunity. Which meant spending time in Diagon Alley, night after night after night. In that time, one more girl's body had been discovered, and Neville had heard rumor that there had been some sort of altercation in Birmingham, though he hadn't been able to learn any details.

However, It hadn't been all bad going into Diagon Alley almost every night. He'd run into more than a few old school mates and gotten caught up usually over dinner or drinks. He'd enjoyed dining with Ron Weasley because he'd learned so much about all that had been happening during his absence, even if he'd had to suffer listening to Ron complain about how unfair his life had become since leaving Hogwarts. Neville was quite unsympathetic as he knew how lazy Ron was. He'd been even less thrilled when Ron had left Neville to pay the check after their meal, especially as Ron had claimed it was to be his treat.

Two nights later, Neville had run into Megan Jones, who had been a housemate with his ex-girlfriend, Hannah Abbott. Megan was happy to tell Neville all about her upcoming wedding, and even invited him to come, as well as to tell him all she knew about the night Hannah was attacked and saved by the vigilante. Megan felt that despite all the bad press, the vigilante was a truly good person, and she hoped he remained free to watch out for them all.

Seamus Finnegan wasn't as supportive of the vigilante. Seamus felt that the vigilante was interfering with the Aurors, and it was because of him that four girls were dead. When Neville pointed out that the Vigilante didn't even show up until after the second girl's body had been found, Seamus disregarded it, claiming that it was the first time he'd been reported because the girl had gotten away.

With every person Neville talked to, the easier it was for him to see that the vigilante was a polarizing figure. More people seemed to be in support of him, but Neville wasn't so naïve to believe that all it would take was one bad incident to change it all and make him out to be a villain. And at the moment, Neville didn't think England could handle the rise of a new villain.

He sat on a bench in a darker part of the street, and pulled his cloak a little tighter around himself. November was coming to a close, and the weather was becoming more and more frigid. Thankfully it wasn't snowing tonight, despite the heavy looking clouds. Neville watched as one by one, the stores began to close for the evening and more people headed for home. It would be another few hours before the restaurants and pubs closed and the alley would be empty. Neville began to think about how nice a steak and kidney pie would taste right about now as he sat in the dark watching store owners head home, or to the nearest pub. The Leaky Cauldron had good food, but Neville hated Tom's steak and kidney pie. It was always mushy and tasteless. It also felt like it turned to cement in your stomach. Cottelli's did a nice pie, and they were just up the street a bit. Garrett Cottelli was a real nice bloke too, and eager to feed you when you came in. Yeah, Cottelli's would be just about perfect.

Neville had made up his mind and rose from his bench when there came a sound that confused him a bit. He began looking for the source and saw a girl around his age come sprinting out of Knockturn Alley followed by four black robed figures. Neville recognized the bone white masks immediately and reached for his wand.

The girl was knocked to the ground and the closest Death Eater was on top of her in an instant. Neville wasted no time and fired off a series of hexes. The Death Eaters immediately took up defensive positions and retaliated. The girl remained where she was, covering herself as best she could.

Neville knew he was outnumbered badly. His confidence immediately began to waver. He'd only ever won one duel, and the Death Eaters had much more experience than he did, and wouldn't pull their spells. Yet his honor wouldn't let him runaway. The girl looked around his age, and if they were chasing her, it wasn't for anything good. He had to do what he could to help her. Hopefully someone would contact the Aurors.

Or the vigilante would show up.

Neville pushed forward, driving the Death Eaters back so he could get to the girl. She remained on the ground, sobbing with fright.

"Is it him?" One of the Death Eaters shouted as Neville kept up a steady stream of spells. His aim was not what he hoped it could be, but so long as he kept firing, the Death Eaters remained in their hiding holes.

"I can't tell." Another Death Eater shouted. "I can't bloody well see him!"

Neville was baffled by this for a moment until it dawned on him that they thought he might be the vigilante. Neville actually felt embolden by this, and that was part of the reason he didn't see the girl get to her feet, and pull out her wand.

"Hey! Hero!" She called.

Neville turned, and was hit in the chest by a powerful spell that sent him thirty feet from his original position. His chest burned fiercely, and his lungs felt as if they'd been filled with water. He coughed and choked, trying to get air back into his body, but that only made things worse. Neville clutched his wand and gathered as much air as he could and countered the spell with a finite. All at once air came rushing back into his lungs and he gasped, taking in large gulps of oxygen. By that time he was surrounded by arguing Death Eaters.

"The Dark Lord wants him alive!" a man shouted as he shoved aside the girl who'd hexed him.

"I'm telling you lot it isn't him!" Another male voice was saying. One that Neville recognized.

"But he's wearing leather." A third was saying. "You told the Dark Lord that the vigilante wears leather."

"I told the Dark Lord that he was wearing leather armor. Head to toe. Longbottom is only wearing a leather jacket, and he's a gods damned squib. There's no way this oaf could do what the Vigilante's done." The familiar voice reasoned.

"We take him before the Dark Lord." The first man was saying. "He will decide if this is the vigilante or not. The Dark Lord always knows."

Neville prepared to fight them back, but was saved by a dozen pops, and a half a dozen bright flashes as spells began to be exchanged. Someone grabbed Neville's wrist, but he rolled and knocked the Death Eater off balance and pulled himself free. In a moment it was all over. The Death Eaters had disapparated, and Neville sat up to find Aurors coming towards him.

"Thank the gods you got here." He said. "They were going to…"

"Hands out where we can see them." The lead Auror shouted, holding his wand at the ready. "You're not getting away this time."

"Wait a second, I was just attacked by…" Neville tried but another Auror came up behind him and snatched his wand as another Auror placed magical dampening cuffs on his wrists before hauling him to his feet.

"Shut it psycho." The lead Auror said grabbing him roughly by the shoulder. "The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is going to love talking to you, Let's go."

* * *

Half an hour later, Neville found himself in a small circular room with his wrists chained to a table. He'd been told that he was under arrest for several crimes, including kidnapping, obstructing justice, assaulting an officer of magical law, and several other things, some of which Neville thought might be made up. Worse still, he'd been denied representation, and he wasn't sure if anyone had contacted his Grandmother yet.

The door opened and Neville looked up, ready to plead his case again, but stopped when he saw the tall, stern looking woman with steely gray hair, and monocle entered. She gave him a hard once over before shutting the door behind her.

"Mister Longbottom, I'm…"

"Madam Bones, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." Neville said. "And this is a case of mistaken identity."

Neville had to wonder why the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was here to talk to him. He would have been surprised if the Head of the Aurors came to speak to him. He really didn't think he warranted this level of attention, especially given this was all one big mix up.

"Really?" Madam Bones asked skeptically. "Then perhaps you wouldn't mind telling me why you were in Diagon Alley when there is a curfew?"

"There is?" Neville looked surprised. "I haven't heard anything about a curfew."

"Who were those people the Aurors saw fighting with?" Madam Bones asked.

"Death Eaters." Neville said feeling irritated. "I thought they were trying to kidnap this girl and…"

"And you thought you'd play the hero and deal out your own brand of justice." Madam Bones cut him off. "Need I remind you that we are a civilized society, and we have laws. Laws clearly you don't think apply to you. You cannot go about killing anyone you feel has broken the law, Mister Longbottom."

"I didn't…" Neville tried but Madam Bones continued.

"Or maybe it was the other way around." Amelia said in a hard cold voice. "Maybe it was you who was after that girl, and those people you claim to be Death Eaters were actually just good citizens trying to stop you from taking another victim."

"No!" Neville shouted back. "That isn't what happened at all!"

"Why don't you tell me where my niece is and things will go smoother." Madam Bones said quickly, fixing Neville with a hard look. Neville reeled back like he'd been slapped.

"Susan's missing? What about Hannah?" Neville asked and Madam Bones slammed her fist on the table.

"NO MORE GAMES!" Madam Bones snapped. "I want to know what you've done with my niece and I want to know right now!"

"This is a mistake." Neville argued. "I don't know where Susan is. I told you I'm not who you're looking for. This is just one big mix up I swear it!"

"Mister Longbottom, you're trying my patience here, and I don't want to make things worse for you." She said, her tone darkening.

"Look, I don't know how else I can make this clearer." Neville said grimly. "I. Am. Not. The Vigilante. I saw someone in trouble, and I went to help as best I could."

"Why didn't you call for the actual authorities?" Madam Bones challenged.

"And let another girl get taken to be slaughtered while you lot took your sweet time to get there?" Neville challenged. Madam Bones stood to her full height and slammed her fists onto the table loudly.

"I will only ask one more time." She said coldly as she rose from her seat. "Where is my niece?"

"I don't know!" Neville shouted back.

It turned out to be the wrong thing to do, though looking back, Neville doubted there was anything he could have done that wouldn't have resulted in the woman all but leaping over the table and grabbing him by the throat. She punched him hard in the face, and Neville was sure his nose was broken. Thankfully it was over before it really began as four Aurors stormed into the room and pulled the screaming woman off of him and out of the interrogation room. Neville stared at the open door as one Auror looked in at him with a sad, apologetic sort of look.

"Take my advice here kid." The young Auror said grimly. "You should just tell us where the Bones girl is, and any of your other victims. Maybe you'll get life in Azkaban."

Neville groaned and rubbed his face.

"If someone doesn't contact my Grandmother, you're all going to wish the real Vigilante finds you first." Neville said mostly to himself as the Auror shut the door.

* * *

The fire flared up and flashed bright green as Amelia Bones stepped out of the flames and hurled her leather bag across the room. It hit a bookshelf and knocked dome knick knacks to the floor, breaking at least one or two. Amelia didn't even bother to look. Her rage at herself and what she had allowed to happen was making her shake badly. She dashed across the room and poured a large amount of firewhiskey into a glass and downed most of it in one pull.

Her niece, Susan hadn't been seen since she had managed to elude her guards almost a full three days ago. That same day there was some sort of attack on a muggle building in Birmingham. Four of her Aurors had called for back up after they, along with Mad-Eye Moody had fought roughly twenty Death Eaters on the roof top of a muggle apartment building. One of the flats was rented by one Hermione Granger, a young woman who had been attacked a few months ago by Death Eaters. From the looks of things, they had come to try again. Granger's apartment was a disaster. Worse still was that one of the muggle boys that had been interviewed recalled seeing a redhead enter the building that afternoon. He remembered her because he had thought she was very pretty.

However, there were no witnesses that could say what had happened in the building. The Death Eaters had used strong muggle repelling charms in their wards. It had been a rather good bit of ward work to be sure, and it left the Aurors with only more questions. And no sign of Susan. Amelia had been so angry she made sure that the Aurors that had been assigned to watch her had claimed that the redhead and her best friend had managed to give them the slip. Both of them had been immediately demoted, and were now mucking out loos in Azkaban.

In the two days that had followed, Amelia had barely slept. Between her overwhelming guilt at having lost Susan, and not having her stay at home again until things were resolved, and her deep anger at what she though may have happened to her niece, Amelia shouldn't have been to surprised at what had happened when Aurors brought in someone they claimed was the vigilante.

Vigilante.

That was pure bullshit and Amelia knew it. He was the gods damned killer. Which is why it came as such a surprise when she learned it was Neville Longbottom? Amelia knew Augusta Longbottom was as hard as they come, but Amelia had known Neville to be a gentle, shy boy. She had met him a few times when Susan's best friend, Hannah had dated him. He was always polite, and some what reserved. Amelia remembered once that Hannah had said Neville got picked on a lot at school because he was sort of a conspiracy nut. Amelia had never asked anymore about it.

When she had walked into the room, Neville looked confused. He should have been too. Augusta would have educated him she was sure, so he would have known that it was not the Head of the Law Enforcement's job to interrogate prisoner. However, Amelia ordered no one would speak to Longbottom except her. Rufus had tried to dissuade her, claiming she was to emotional. He'd been right of course, but she had the killer, and she had to know what had happened to her niece. Longbottom had refused to tell her anything, feigning ignorance, and claiming he'd been trying to help some girl in Diagon Alley.

She was embarrassed about what she'd done. She was supposed to objective. She was supposed to be impartial. Innocent until proven guilty. She'd condemned the boy before she'd even gone in that room, and she'd done the very thing she'd preached to her Aurors not to do. But she was desperate. She had to find Susan.

The sound of a door opening caused Amelia to turn, and draw her wand. She could hear someone talking as they drew closer. Amelia leveled her wand, prepared to unleash hell on whoever had decided to rob her house when a flash of red hair stopped her cold.

"Susan?" Amelia gasped. And then she fired two blasting hexes. The black clad person with Susan shoved Susan to the side, and conjured an electric blue shield that absorbed Amelia's spells.

"AUNTIE NO!" Susan shouted, leaping to her feet and holding up her hands. "It's not what you think! Please just…"

"Susan, get out of the way!" Amelia demanded just before her wand was ripped from her hands. She watch helplessly as her wand sailed right into the hands of the hooded invader. Amelia turned and grabbed the decanter of firewhiskey and hurled it at the vigilante.

"How are you here?" Amelia shouted. "How did you get out? You were locked in the interrogation room! How did you…"

"He's been with me Auntie!" Susan shouted, again trying to keep herself between her Aunt and Phoenix. "Please you have to listen!"

Amelia suddenly jumped back, staring at Susan. Susan realized in a moment what had caused her Aunt to leap away. She didn't trust that it was her niece in front of her.

"I'm Susan Amelia Bones, I came to live with you when I was a year old after my mother and father was killed. When I was four, you bought me a pink teddy bear that I named Mr. Snugglebelly, and I still have him even now. The day before I went to Hogwarts for the first time, you sat me down and told me that I have many special qualities, but it was my big heart that made me the most special, and that any one could be brave, or ambitious, or smart, but what mattered most was how we treated other people." The redhead smiled. Amelia tried to fight back a sob as she hugged her niece tightly.

Amelia drew back and stared hard at the man in black who was trying to stay in shadow.

"Okay, I don't know where to start." Amelia began. "But if you're here, then that means that Neville Longbottom was telling the truth.

"Neville?" Susan asked very confused.

"He was caught in Diagon Alley fighting with some people, and his description matched… well yours' actually.

Amelia motioned to Phoenix. Susan looked puzzled as did Amelia but for very different reasons.

"Can either of you tell me what's going on?" Amelia shouted. "I should be bringing you in. you're a wanted criminal. A killer."

"Only Death Eaters." Susan said. "He's on our side Auntie. Dumbledore sent him. He's protecting me and Hannah and the others. He needs your help."

"Okay, I think we need to start at the beginning. Why don't we start with who you are." Amelia said as she took a seat, and motioned for Susan and her friend to do the same. She was suddenly shocked when the man in black stepped forward and held out her wand to her.

"What…" she began.

"If you're going to trust me, I have to show you that I trust you. I'm not your enemy and like Susan said, I'm here because of Dumbledore." he said, the strange choir of voices making Amelia feel as if she was surrounded.

"Why do I feel like this is going to be a long story?" Amelia asked. Susan could only smile as she reached out and took her Aunt's hand.

"Because you're a good Auror." Phoenix stated.


	18. Chapter 18

18.

"WHERE IS MY GRANDSON?!" Augusta Longbottom bellowed over Madam Amelia Bones who was trying hard to apologize to the aged witch, and one of the most intimidating members of the Wizengamot. The Head of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement had been expecting the influential and intimidating witch, but her arrival had not been unexpected at all. The only thing that was surprising was that she was alone, as both Amelia and Rufus Scrimgeour had been expecting her to arrive with a contingent of Wizengamot members.

"Madam Longbottom, I am truly…" Amelia tried again to calm the Longbottom matriarch, but the old woman in the stuffed vulture hat was quite unwilling to listen to anything unless it was that her grandson was on his way up from the holding cells.

"I do not wish to hear your half-hearted apologies, I wish to see my grandson standing before me NOW!" Madam Longbottom said, clearly beyond agitation. Her cold steel grey eyes pierced Amelia like the sharpest of daggers.

"I would just like to explain to you why he…" Madam Bones started again.

"is in custody? Because he did what no one else would do? Because he single-handedly faced down several alleged Death Eaters who were attempting to kidnap a young girl? People, I need not remind you, that your department was supposed to be rounding up now that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has been vanquished by Albus Dumbledore, rest his soul. My grandson, a young man barely out of Hogwarts doing what your Aurors should be doing!"

"Madam Longbottom, while his actions were quite seemingly brave, I had witnesses report that the young woman in question fought your grandson. Given our current situation he fit the M.O. of our Vigilante, who I need not remind you, is also under suspicion of several murders."

"Madam Bones, I am well aware of your personal interest in the hunt for this so-called vigilante. I also applaud your wish to see true justice carried out. But I cannot abide your arresting innocent people simply for being in the wrong place at the right time." Madam Longbottom snapped, making Madam Bones winced as if slapped.

"I'm also concerned about what your personal vendetta will do for the morale of the people. This so-called vigilante is doing a much finer job protecting our citizens than your Aurors. As I understand it, he even saved your niece." Madam Longbottom added.

"And then kidnapped her." Madam Bones snapped. She knew of course that Susan was quite safe, and that the Vigilante was trying to work in defense of her niece and several other young women, all of whom had been targeted by Death Eaters in recent months. But she had agreed that she had to continue her crusade or whatever spies Voldemort had in place would likely become suspicious.

"Where is the proof?" Madam Longbottom replied sharply. "She had been attacked by Death Eaters. Death Eaters who are still at large despite the fact the You-Know-Who was defeated. You are simply assuming that the vigilante took her without proof, which makes me question what kind of investigator you are?"

"Are you questioning my ability to do my job?" Madam Bones asked growing more and more offended.

"I am simply pointing out that you are allowing your personal feelings get in the way of doing your investigation. When you arrest young men like my Neville simply for doing what is right, it makes people want to ignore the real evil, and that's how we lose. Now, bring me my Grandson, before I see you hauled off to Azkaban!"

Amelia was about to counter the argument when three Aurors arrived with young Neville in tow. Neville looked quite relieved at seeing his Grandmother whose face melted into an expression of horror at Neville's appearance. His right eye was swollen badly and there was dried blood on his shirt. His nose had stopped bleeding but was still broken.

"What the hell did they do to you?" Augusta bellowed.

"It was the Death Eaters Gran." Neville said quickly, catching the look of surprise on Amelia Bones's face out of the corner of his eye. The Head of the DMLE quickly schooled her features before Augusta saw her surprise at Neville's lie. "They were pretty brutal before the Aurors showed up."

Augusta looked at her grandson critically for a moment but then gave a single nod. Neville knew that his Gran could see through his lie, but she wisely decided not to pursue the matter at the moment. Instead she took out her wand, and with a flick, fixed his nose. Neville groaned with pain, but after a moment sniffed a few times and let out a sigh.

"Thanks Gran." He said.

"Very well, let's get you home." Augusta said, and with one last look of contempt to Amelia Bones, she turned and guided her grandson away. Amelia let out a long sigh and turned to Rufus who'd been far to intimidated throughout Madam Longbottom's visit to even utter a sound.

"If that's how you act when someone like her comes calling, you may not want my job Rufus.

"Yeah, I'm already thinking about retiring early." Rufus said, licking his lips as they were incredibly dry. "And I think she was being nice."

"She was." Amelia sighed, motioning for the head of the Aurors to follow her. When they were safely ensconced within Rufus's office, Amelia turned and fixed her friend with a hard look.

"I want all our Aurors checked again for the Dark Mark. I want all our assistants checked. I need to know that our department is one hundred percent secure." Amelia said quickly. "And until we are sure, I need it done as quietly as we can."

"What is going on?" Rufus asked. "You came in here this morning but Augusta's bellows interrupted you before you could get started. You were telling me that you knew Susan was safe now. How do you know? What happened?"

"I had a strange visit last night…" Amelia began.

"So who was it who actually did that to your face?" Augusta asked when she and her grandson arrived safely in their home. Neville asked one of the House Elves for some tea and food as Augusta was removing her coat.

"Madam Bones." Neville said evenly. "She got really angry when I couldn't tell her where her niece was. I can't even begin to imagine how worried she is for Susan."

"Why did you lie to me earlier?" Augusta asked.

"Because you told me that Amelia Bones is the best thing to ever happened to the DMLE. I had to try and put myself in her shoes, and I wondered what I might do for my family in the same situation. She's worried about her niece, and I can't really fault her for that, Gran." Neville said. Augusta looked at her grandson with pride.

"You are your father's son." She said with a hint of a smile.

"Tell me about what happened in Diagon Alley." She said. Neville explained all that had taken place. How the Death Eaters had chased a young girl out of Knockturn alley, and how he had tried to stop them from hurting her, only to be ambushed by the girl. He then went on to tell her all about how the Aurors had shown up and refused to even listen to his story. He explained how weird it was when Amelia Bones came into question him, and how quickly it had elevated and how it took four Aurors to pull her out of the room. He finished by telling her that until he offered to willingly take Veritaserum to prove he was telling the truth, it looked as though he might be staying at the old gray bar hotel.

"And you believe that this was a trap for our elusive Mister Potter?" Augusta asked as the Longbottom House elf brought tea.

"Had to be." Neville said with a firm nod. "They weren't even subtle about it, Gran. And I have no doubt that they'll do it again until they catch him. I think it would be a good idea for me to keep going into the Alley. Those Death Eaters weren't messing around last night when they thought I was the vigilante."

"Then you won't being going out there unprotected." Augusta said firmly as she stood from her seat. Neville followed her as she led him to downstairs into a room that Neville had never been allowed in. Augusta waved her wand as she approached the door and it opened just in time for she and Neville to walk through. Augusta turned as her grandson beheld what lie within.

"Your father's Auror war robes. They're quite outdated now as the Ministry uses much more modern styled combat fatigues, but they should do. I think he would want you to use it to avenge him and your mother." Augusta said with a sad bit of pride. As Neville reached out and ran his fingers on the long dragonhide robe, he smiled. He couldn't agree more with his grandmother.

* * *

Sirius Black led his assistant and friend, Remus Lupin out of the Wizengamot chambers. The session had been fairly routine until the last half hour, when Amelia Bones had come to deliver the grave news that the war with the Dark lord was not as finished as they had believed, which had made Sirius smile. Harry had done his job and now, the government at least was aware that Dumbledore had failed to end the war. Madam Bones refused to say where the intelligence had come from and would only say it was reliable and that she had complete faith it was authentic.

"Should I let him know?" Remus asked as the two men made their way through the Ministry to Sirius's private office. Sirius glanced around them at the other members of the court and gave a slight nod. No one was listening to them, and they were all involved in their own matters with their own aides. Sirius had learned that one of the best places to speak on matters of delicacy was in a busy hallway such as this. It was often hard to hear other conversations, and most people were far too involved in their own minutia to try and spy on someone.

"I'm sure he'd like to know that he made an impression on the Head of Law Enforcement." Sirius said to Remus with a small smile of pride in his Godson. "He might like to know that he's going to have a bit more freedom, though the anti-vigilante sentiment is still in full force."

They reached Sirius's office and entered. A young brunette with bright blue eyes rose, with a small stack of parchment which she handed to Sirius.

"Your messages Lord Black." She smiled.

"Thank you Violet." Sirius said taking the stack and flipping through the parchment to see if there was anything pressing. "Would you mind terribly ordering a late lunch for us, we are quite famished. As always please treat yourself."

"Thank you Lord Black. Also, your two o'clock is here." Violet said motioning to a cushy chair in the corner, where a small slightly balding chubby man sat. He had small watery eyes, and a finely groomed beard. he had the bearing of a man who had done very well for himself. he rose from the chair and smiled at Remus and Sirius.

"Peter." Sirius hissed with barely contained anger.

"Hello old friend." Peter said cordially, and confidently. "I know you were expecting Rita Skeeter for your interview, but I thought it best if I conducted it. After all, we have history." Peter Pettigrew said with a warm smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Of course." Sirius nodded, and then motioned to his office door. "I think we'll be more comfortable in here."

Sirius, Remus, and their guest entered the inner office, and Remus shut the door behind him. As soon as it clicked, Sirius grabbed Pettigrew by the lapels and shoved him hard against the wall.

"You were a fool to come here, traitor!" Sirius snarled. Pettigrew actually didn't seem too bothered by this, and simply scoffed at Sirius's attempt at intimidation.

"Do you honestly think I would have come here if I wasn't prepared to face you, Padfoot?" Pettigrew simpered. "I've made very powerful friends over the years, who would be more than a little upset if anything were to happen to me. So, I kindly suggest that you get your gods damn hands off of me!"

Sirius glared into those beady watery eyes for a long moment before Remus's gentle voice called his name. Sirius grudgingly released Pettigrew and took a step back.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't just burn you to ash where you stand." Sirius snarled.

"Because if I don't return to my office this afternoon, a story will be released with detailed accounts to your whereabouts these past sixteen years, as well as eye witness testimony of your betrayal of the Potters to You-Know-Who." Peter said with confidence,. "And then, your beautiful wife will be visited by some of my friends, and I don't think you will find her so attractive afterwards. If they allow her to live, that is."

"I swear to gods…" Sirius began.

"I think we're past the threatening phase of the conversation." Peter quickly and coldly cut across Sirius who looked startled.

"You changed quite a lot since Hogwarts Peter." Remus noted.

"Yes.' Peter agreed. "I've surrounded myself with friends who actually helped build me up, rather than ignore me or use me when it served their purposes. Unlike you two, my friends wish to see me succeed."

"You were our brother." Sirius started but Pettigrew glowered at him.

"If that were true, why did you never help me better myself?" Pettigrew snarled

"We help you become an animagus!" Remus snapped.

"Only because I wouldn't let the three of you run off on another adventure without me. Fortunately I was made to see how little you thought of me. How useless you thought I was. I saw what the future held for me if I remained tied to your sides. I wanted more and I've gotten everything I could have wanted!" Peter snarled.

"And all you had to do was betray the people who cared about you the most!" Sirius replied with malevolence. "What's to stop me from revealing the truth of what happened? What's to stop me from telling everyone that YOU betrayed the Potters?"

"No one would believe you." Peter all but laughed. "You ran away that night. You disappeared. The supposed best friend of James Potter, from a notoriously dark family, with ties to the Death Eaters suddenly disappears the very night the Potters are killed. I remained and grieved, like a true friend. I've championed the Potters name all these years, while you hid, awaiting for the right time to return… and everyone is wondering why? Why have you returned Sirius? Is to pick up where your master left off? Are you here to take revenge on those who brought down your precious Dark Lord? Or are you planning something far worse?"

Sirius looked ready to murder the heavy set man, who returned the glare with ease.

"You came here for a reason Peter." Remus said looking at the man who used to be a friend with contempt. "What is it you want to accomplish here? You're clearly not afraid of the truth getting out of what you did, and who your master is."

"I have no master." Peter smiled. He rolled up his sleeve and revealed his left arm. It was unblemished. "As you can clearly see, I do not bear the Dark Mark. As for why I've come, I bring a warning. Stop what you're doing."

"What am I doing?" Sirius asked. Peter gave a wry smile and shook his head.

"I'm not as idiotic as the rest of the people in this country Sirius. It's no coincidence that you return to your home, and this so-called hero shows up. I've been watching you closely since you returned Sirius, and I know that you think you can stop him, but you can't. Albus Dumbledore couldn't stop him. No one can stop him. You'd be better off taking your wife and leaving the country. Forget your crusade and leave."

"Are you threatening me?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"I'm telling you that your course of action is pointless. You can't stop the inevitable. Britain belongs to him and nothing and no one can change that. Go live your life with your wife and be happy. This path will only end with misery for you. If you choose to ignore this warning, I will be forced to make sure that you are under so much scrutiny, you won't be able to sneeze without being investigated by the Aurors, the Wizengamot and the ICW."

Peter turned and made for the door. Sirius stopped him when he spoke.

"You're going to pay for what you did Peter." Sirius's tone was low and cold. "It may not be me, it may not be Remus. But someone will make you pay for what you did. And it may be sooner than you think."

Peter gave a small smile as if he believed Sirius was making yet another idle threat before he left. It took a moment for Sirius to calm down while Remus stared at the door before turning to look at Sirius.

"I'm impressed." Remus stated as Sirius sat behind his desk.

"By what?" he asked his friend who went and poured a large amount of whiskey into a glass before walking aver and handing it to the Black Scion.

"You could have killed him, and you didn't." Remus said.

"I wanted to." Sirius sighed. "Gods how I wanted to wrap my hands around his fat throat and squeeze the life right out of him."

"But you didn't." Remus noted. Sirius took a swallow of his drink before looking at Remus.

"Gods how I wanted to." Sirius said gloomily. "But I made a promise, that I only barely remembered in time. I swore to let Harry face him, and give out whatever punishment he felt Peter deserved. His life belongs to Harry. What I'd like to know is how he hid the Dark Mark?"

"He didn't." Remus replied quickly. "You can't hide it. It was one of the biggest secrets we learned during the trials. The unspeakable were in a frenzy over it. It can't be glamoured or charmed or anything. It's a serious modification of the Protean charm, but it's like nothing anyone had ever seen before."

"So Peter didn't take the mark?" Sirius looked puzzled.

"The theory is that Voldemort had many followers who weren't mark so he could keep them in place as spies."

Remus's eyes suddenly brightened as he came to a very sudden realization.

"Peter doesn't know." He said and Sirius began to smile softly. "He doesn't know about Harry. He wasn't at the fundraiser that night. He never saw Harry."

"Which is why I didn't fight Annalise about making Harry go to it. I knew Peter wouldn't be there. I knew that Peter would never get near me until he was sure that he could walk away. He's probably been working on his contingencies ever since I returned." Sirius smirked. "All the while, I've been keeping an eye on him ever since you told me he was the Editor of the Daily Prophet. Peter's made more than a few enemies on his way up. Some of them I didn't even have to offer up gold."

"And would I be correct in guessing that all that information has found its way to Harry?" Remus asked. Sirius gave a single nod.

"Why hasn't he done anything with it yet?" Remus wondered.

"If I had to guess," Sirius began after finishing his drink and setting the empty crystal glass on his desk and leaning back in his seat. "He is focusing on Voldemort first. He's hardly touched any of the Death Eaters, which is a mistake in my opinion."

"It would be smarter to weaken his forces." Remus agreed.

"That was the original plan." Sirius sighed. "But this thing with these girls has complicated everything. But now that they are safely hidden, he should be able to get back to his original path. My guess as to why he hasn't gone after Peter is that he's saving that rat for last."

"Maybe he should change that." Remus said grumpily. "Though to be honest, death is far too good for that bastard. I'd like to see everything he's 'worked' for crumble underneath him before the end."

"I'd like that too. But he's not mine to toy with. That privilege is Harry's alone. no one deserves to take their vengeance out on that piece of shit more than Harry, and I won't take that away from the kid."

Remus nodded his agreement.

* * *

Lisa sat holding a cold cup of tea, staring at the small gold amulet on the table in front of her. The red gemstone glowing softly in its center. This little golden trinket had been taken from the lead Death Eater who'd tried to take Mandy just four days ago. Lisa couldn't believe it when she thought about it. Her life, all their lives had changed so much, so quickly.

As she stared at the small amulet, Lisa pondered the single question she and the others had. How to find more of their kind. After some experimentation, the girls had figured out that this particular amulet was tuned to Mandy, and Mandy alone. The closer it was to her, the brighter it glowed. Even now as it rested in front of Lisa, the gem was glowing warmly. If Mandy were to walk through the door into the kitchen it would become much more intense.

Learning that the amulet was tuned to one of them had led into discussions about how they might alter it, and use it to find others bearing the mark of the Oigh Ban-dia. The problem was that none of them had any idea on how they might do that. Lisa set her cup down and picked up the amulet and held it up to the light to examine it closer. There were no symbols on it. The edges were rough and uneven and the gem wasn't perfectly centered. It was really a horrible piece of jewelry. There were bumps, as if molten gold had been poured over it and hastily allowed to cool.

Yet it reeked of magic. When she held it, Lisa could feel waves of energy emitting from it. There was nothing about the energy she felt that gave her pause. It was neither dark nor light. It was just energy.

Lisa looked up as the door opened, and felt a sudden rush of heat to her face. Her heart gave a small flutter, and she felt her hands go clammy. Phoenix, or rather Harry Potter as she now knew him, had entered and gave her a small smile of surpirse.

"Sorry, I thought you were all asleep." he said softly.

"I couldn't." She muttered. "I thought some tea would help, but I can't get my mind to shut off. I keep looking at this thing, trying to figure out how it works."

Harry gave a nod, and went about making himself tea. Lisa took the opportunity to really observe her host. Harry was very fit. Thin and wiry. He was dressed in a loose black tank top, and his arms were slender, but Lisa could see corded muscle. He also had on loose black shorts that revealed strong legs. His hair was still damp and Lisa noted he smelled very clean. When she noticed him start to turn around, she quickly turned back to the amulet in her hand.

Harry crossed the short distance and Lisa turned to look as he drew near. She found herself being drawn into his gaze, despite the fact that his attention was actually on the thing in her hands. He reached out, and with a polite smile, took the amulet from Lisa and began to examine it. Lisa again found herself staring at the young man with curiosity.

While he'd been out with Susan to speak to Madam Bones, Lisa and the other girls had sat down to discuss Harry's tale. The whole thing in Hermione's opinion had seemed extremely far fetched, and she remained unconvinced that Harry was in fact Baby Potter all grown up. Hannah and Mandy thought it was reasonable, though Mandy wanted more proof while Hannah appeared convinced. Lisa and Tracey were both on the fence. Tracey had not said much on the matter, and Lisa had also kept her thoughts to herself.

But as she sat here in the kitchen with the boy in question, she felt it was plausible that he could be Harry Potter. The story did make sense. Dumbledore allowing everyone to believe that the boy had perished would be the ultimate way of keeping him safe. No one would bother searching for someone who was dead. And the fact that Sirius Black, who was known to be close to the Potters had been the one to take Harry away fit the narrative. Everyone believed black had betrayed his friends, so no one would have thought he'd be the one to have taken Harry.

"It took some pretty powerful magic to make this." Harry said, breaking Lisa from her musings. He offered it back to her, looking a bit puzzled. "Though I don't think it was created with dark magic. It's just like a sort of divining rod set to seek out something particular. In this case, your friend. And since it's only drawn to her, I'm going to guess that they've made one for each of you, or will at any rate."

"That was our guess too." Lisa said, setting the amulet back on the table as the tea kettle began to whistle. She watch Harry go about preparing a cup of tea for himself, and found her curiosity growing until she finally asked.

"Can I ask you what was it like? Living on the run like you did, I mean." She said. Harry turned and gave her a sort of smirk or smile, she wasn't sure. He finished making his tea and then sat down across from her.

"Rough." He said after a long thoughtful moment. "Yeah, I mean, I got to see the world, and learn from some really amazing people, and explore fields of magic that most people don't. But, it was really lonely. Sirius was always there, but I never had any close friends. We never stayed anywhere for long, and it felt like just when things were settling down, we'd take off again. It got really tough for me when I started getting interested in girls."

"You never dated?" Lisa asked, suddenly, surprising herself with the question.

"No, I did." Harry corrected. "But never for very long and I never got close to anyone. By that time I knew we weren't going to stay, so I kept everyone at a distance. Most girls got tired of my inability to tell them anything about me pretty quickly. I also had difficulty remembering our alibi sometimes, and that got me in trouble."

"What kinds?" Lisa asked.

"I was partial to brunettes mostly, but there was this blonde…" Harry started and Lisa began to laugh, reaching out and playfully slapping his arm.

"No, I meant what kinds of magic. You said you got to study different fields of magic, and I wanted to know what kinds." Lisa explained.

"Oh, that." Harry nodded. "Mostly it was the same stuff you probably learned at school. Transfiguration, Charms, Runes, things like that. But I would focus on a single subject, you know. I would be under the tutelage of a different master for months at a time. But I also learned muggle fighting and other things. My favorite was Parkour."

"Par-what?" Lisa asked with bewilderment.

"Parkour." Harry grinned, his eyes lighting up. "It's a form of running, but it incorporated gymnastics and other things. Basically you run, and you don't let anything stand in your way. You jump and flip or use obstacles to help you move. It's not hard to learn, but it's difficult to master. It helps me move across rooftops easily."

"I think I'd like to try it." Lisa smiled softly. "Sounds fun."

"It is a lot easy when you combine magic. You can transfigure or conjure things to help you get around, but you have to think fast on your feet, or you'll wipe out pretty hard. I once took a nose dive off a building in Russia. Wasn't to high thankfully, but it didn't feel good when I landed."

"Then maybe I should refrain. I'm not to graceful on my feet." Lisa admitted.

"Neither was I when I started. But if I can learn it, there's no reason you can't. It's just practice. It's late." Harry noted. "You should really get some rest. Sounded like you lot were going to try and figure out how to work together and unlock your secret powers."

"That's the notion." Lisa said, reluctantly getting up. "It was nice talking to you. I hope we can do it again soon."

"I'm sorry that you have all found yourselves here, but I meant what I said." Harry said, all humor disappearing from his expression. "I mean to end this as soon as possible so you can all get back to your lives."

"And what about you?" Lisa paused, looking quite curious. "What happens to you when it's all over?"

Harry gazed at her for a long thoughtful moment, the silence seeming to stretch on forever before he finally gave a weak shrug.

"I really don't know." He said at last, and Lisa found that she felt a stab of pity for the young man.


	19. Chapter 19

19.

Lisa sat up in her bed and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was nearing two A.M. which meant that Harry was likely getting out of his shower after his nightly outing and heading into the kitchen for a cup of tea before bed. And that meant that Lisa would be able to talk to him again without anyone else there.

Slipping silently out of her bed, and double checking to make sure Mandy was still asleep, Lisa donned her dressing gown and very stealthily left her room. The hall was dark, and Lisa, having gotten quite familiar with her surroundings after the last three weeks, padded softly down the stairs.

This was quickly becoming her favorite time of day. Then ten minutes or so that she could talk to Harry without everyone else around. Harry largely kept to himself during the day. Usually sleeping until noon or later, eating alone and training or working out his next move. He'd joined the ladies for dinner five or six times in the time they'd been his guests, but other than that, he was mostly invisible to them. Remus, or Anna showed up two or three times a week to make sure they had what they needed. Food, toiletries or books. The rest of the time it was just the six girls, trying to figure out what it meant to be Oigh Ban-dia, and they were already getting quite sick of each other.

And that was a small part of the reason Lisa had come to really enjoy these few minutes she had with Harry. He was really nice to talk to. It helped that when they did talk it was mostly about average everyday things. Like the weather, or who was going to the Quidditch finals, or what they preferred on a pizza.

But the main reason that Lisa would wake up in the middle of the night, sneak out of her room and spend roughly ten minutes with Harry was that he was really good looking, and super easy to talk to. He was interesting, and funny, and a bit shy. He was devil may care some nights, and then super self conscious the next night. And he always seemed genuinely interested in whatever she had to say and not because he was trying to bed her. In fact, he hadn't even made any indication that he felt anything romantic for her or any of the other girls. And that gave Lisa a bit of hope, especially when she thought of the options he had here in his house.

Susa was very busty, and exotic with her red hair. Not to mention well connected, seeing as her Aunt was the Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Department. Hannah was very girly and feminine and loved traipsing about the house in very short shorts, and low cut tops. Mandy was quite shy, but still quite attractive, and Hermione was really a stunning looking woman, not to mention very brilliant. Tracey was witty and challenging, and very pretty with her auburn hair and her stunning blue eyes.

Yep, Harry had the pick of the litter here if he wanted, and Lisa doubted any of the girls would be too disagreeable if he made the overture. They had all talked about it, and none of the other girls seemed to disagreeable to the idea of taking Harry to bed. Even Hermione had said that she would not say no to a bit of snogging with their host. This had made all the girls scream in delighted surprise at her admission. Hermione was usually so uptight, it had been nice to hear that she was at her core, still a woman.

Lisa's smile of anticipation at seeing Harry began to melt when she heard voices coming from the kitchen. Three voices. Remus, Sirius and Harry. She thought it would be a good idea to turn around and let them have their privacy, but stopped when she heard the girls mentioned.

"… girls aren't making any progress and it's beginning to take a toll. Anna told me that she walked in on a fight between Mandy and Hannah over something stupid."

Lisa knew at once what the fight was about. Hannah had barged in on Mandy who was taking a shower and accused her of stealing her razor, which Hannah had obviously misplaced.

"Lisa mentioned there had been some sort of bother." Harry said, and Lisa heard a couple of chuckles.

"Lisa's the one you said waits up for you?" Sirius remarked, and Lisa couldn't help but smile. "She's quite fetching."

"Enough out of you." Harry snapped. "Or I'll remind you of that really neat trick that Nikolai taught me when we were in Russia."

"What?" Sirius asked. " I just wondered if that was the girl you mentioned to me and Annalise last weekend. The one you said was quite pretty."

Now Lisa was beaming and had to fight the sudden urge to burst in the kitchen.

"The point here is that the girls need a break, or they might kill each other before Voldemort get his chance." Remus said halting the mounting tension between Sirius and Harry.

"Or a breakthrough." Sirius suggested.

"What do you mean?" Remus asked, sounding puzzled.

"When we were in Tibet, Harry and I learned of ways that wizards could work their magic together, which is what the girls have been trying to do. I suggested to Harry that he teach them what he learned, but he's been rather stubborn about it all."

"It takes time, Sirius." Harry sighed.

"Which is something these girls have an abundance of, and before you say that you don't… when was the last time you even saw a Death Eater? They've been laying very low since Madam Bones laid out her new plan to deal with them. Voldemort is keeping everyone close to him. Not to mention that neither you or the girls have figured out a way to find any more of their sisters. Maybe this is what you all need. Unless you've figure out how to get that stupid amulet to work?"

A long silence followed, and Lisa wondered what was happening. She felt very guilty for listening in, but her curiosity was piqued

"You're sure they read everything in the library?" Harry finally asked.

"Miss Granger was quite thorough." Remus said and Lisa had to agree. Hermione had read all the important books twice through. Lisa wished she could read and comprehend things half as fast as her curly haired new friend.

"Have you had anymore issues with that rat problem?" Harry said.

"Change the subject. Good plan." Sirius remarked. "No. Our old friend has remained remarkably quiet, but I'm not surprised. He made his threat, and is waiting to see if I will take down any more of his Death Eater buddies. But as you haven't seen any of them, the whole charade was pointless. I still say you should go string that fat coward up by his ankles and strip the flesh from his fat carcass."

"But I want him to suffer." Harry stated and Remus chuckled softly.

"I've got someone watching him. If he meets with anyone significant, we'll know." Sirius responded. "But back to our earlier…"

"I'll consider it." Harry cut his godfather off.

"It's late, and I'm sure Anna would like you home, Sirius." Remus said, and Lisa heard chairs scraping. Fearing being caught eavesdropping, Lisa very quietly made her way back up the stairs and into her room. She got back into bed, and wondered what Harry could possibly teach her and the others that would help them get their magic to work as one.

She found out the next morning.

"Good morning." Harry said as the young women entered the library following breakfast. It had become their habit to try and work together following the morning meal for a few hours before breaking off, usually at the point of utter frustration, and doing their own thing. It always surprised Lisa the next day when they would attempt it again.

All six girls looked surprised to see him standing in the middle of the room which had been cleared of the chairs and table.

"I should like it if you formed a circle." he said. Susan, not being one of the marked, stood off to the side while the other five formed a circle around Harry.

"It's been brought to my attention that you've been unable to connect. To get your magic to work together. It's not really a surprise. Magic is an extension of who we are. If we are temperamental, our magic is temperamental and will have difficulty working with some one who is more laid back. It's why alchemists often work alone. While family wards work best on a home, it is usually the head of the house who lays those wards. But it isn't impossible for your magic to work in tandem with someone. Most well known covens are known for it. The Veela often use rituals that depend on the combined magic of dozens of witches. There's also a reason that covens are usually all female. Women are naturally nurturers, while men are much more destructive. History proves that over and over again."

"That's very true." Hermione agreed. "But how do we get our magic to connect and do what we want?"

"How have you attempted to do it so far?" Harry queried.

"We've mainly been focusing on conjuring something simple." Tracey rolled her eyes.

"We figured it was the simplest thing we could do." Mandy continued. "We all know what a box looks like."

"And you all closed your eyes, pictured a box and what?" Harry asked.

"We tried all of us using wands, then we tried one person using a wand while the rest of us held hands or variations of that." Hermione explained.

"But you always focused on the result, right?" Harry asked. They all nodded in response and Harry smiled.

"For the next two weeks, when you come together, don't use magic. Instead, I want you to all sit in a circle, hold hands, close your eyes and just… breathe."

"Breath?" Tracey asked skeptically. "You want us to meditate?"

"Sit down." Harry ordered. With varying degrees of disbelief, the five sat down and joined hands and then at Harry's command, closed their eyes. Harry moved so he was outside the circle. He began to slowly walk around the girls.

"Stop focusing on the results you want. Stop worrying about the Death Eaters or anything else. Listen. Listen with your magic."

Lisa took a deep breath and tried to do as Harry said. Ever since all of this had started fear had ruled her life. She had been plagued with questions that seemed to have no answers and she hadn't once stopped to take a breath. Now she tried to do just that. To let it all slip away and just be.

At first she felt stupid sitting on the floor holding hands with Tracey and Mandy. And then she began to be puzzled by the differences in each girls hand. Mandy gripped her right hand warmly while Tracey had the barest grip on it. Tracey's hand was much more slender than Mandy's but there was strength there. Mandy's skin was softer though.

And then Lisa began to notice a sort of tingle in her fingertips. It was stronger in her right hand where she held Mandy's hand then on her left where Tracey's hand rested. When Lisa gripped Tracey's hand a bit tighter, the tingling increased there as well.

"I feel something." Hannah said suddenly. "Does anyone else feel it?"

"Like a tingling." Mandy replied.

"No, it's more like a warmth in my chest." Hannah explained.

"I, I think I feel it too." Tracey stated. "It's like when you take that first sip of hot chocolate on a really cold day, and it's just spreads out. What is it?"

"Don't focus on it." Harry urged. "Allow it to grow on its own. Just focus on breathing, and shedding your worries.

Lisa began to feel like she was failing, as she hadn't felt anything but the tingling in her fingers. She wondered if she was trying to hard or not hard enough when suddenly Harry's voice was soft in her ear.

"Don't think." he urged. "Don't focus. Don't try to make it happen. Allow it to happen. Let your magic take control of you instead of controlling it."

"I FEEL IT!" Mandy shouted, and Lisa felt like a lead weight was settling in her stomach instead of any sort of warmth in her body.

"I must not be doing it right." Hermione said with exasperation. "I don't feel anything."

"You're thinking to hard." Tracey said. "You're too focused on making it happen."

"I don't feel anything either." Lisa huffed.

"Open you're eyes." Harry said, and Lisa looked up. Harry was standing next to the fire. "Hermione, what were you thinking about?"

"Books." She said quickly. "Whenever I want to relax I always read. It's calms my mind, so I was thinking of my favorite passages from my favorite books."

"What about you Lisa?" Harry asked.

"Well nothing in particular, but everything at the same time. And then when they started to say that they were feeling something I kept trying to feel something too."

"And what about the rest of you? What were you thinking about when you first began to feel anything?" Harry asked.

"Nothing at all." Hannah stated. "I just kept picturing a blank canvas. I just focused on the emptiness of the canvas and then I started to feel the warmth in my chest, and then I stopped thinking about the canvas and just sort of allowed myself to sink into the warmth, like a good bubble bath, you know?"

"Yeah, I just let myself drift." Tracey said, and then, just like Hannah, when I felt it, I just sort of allowed myself to fall into it. It felt safe. Comforting."

"Same thing." Mandy agreed.

"Now let me take a guess." Harry smiled looking at Hermione and Lisa. "Both of you have very logical minds. Facts and figures and that sort of thing right?"

Hermione nodded, but Lisa just continued to look at Harry with interest.

"When I first learned how to do this, I was similar. Not logical per se, but a very busy mind. I had the hardest time letting go of my thoughts, it's why I have so much trouble with meditation. But that doesn't mean that you won't be able to do it. Have any of you studied Occlumency?" Harry asked. All of the girls shook their heads, but Hermione perked up.

"You're going to teach us Occlumency?" She asked.

"No. Like I just said, I have a lot of trouble keeping my mind organized, and Occlumency is extremely difficult to master, but… there is a practice that an Occlumens will employ that will help, and one I still try to use as much as I can. Take time each day and clear your mind."

"But how do we do that?" Lisa asked.

"It's different for everyone." Harry smiled. "For me, I focus on a particular memory. A place I once went with Sirius. I was… I can't remember. Ten? Eleven? We were in America, and we went hiking. We came upon this little waterfall and there was a deer there drinking. A doe and her baby. And it was so peaceful, and I commited it to memory. And now, when I need to clear my head and regain my focus… I focus on that waterfall. I try and recall every single detail. The way the sunlight hit the water and made it look like diamonds. The way the deer observed us with caution, and the sound of they made when they got frightened away. The sound of the water itself. The smell of the trees. And that's when I can feel hear my magic."

"So you can meditate." Hermione said, looking puzzled.

"Not in the traditional sense…" Harry smirked. "But yeah, I guess you could call it that, I suppose. So, try it. And then come together, and do it together, just like we just did. And when you do feel your magic… Don't try and control it. Let it take over and guide you."

"Thank you Harry." Lisa said with a small smile.

"Yeah, I think this is going to help." Mandy agreed.

"It's more than we've accomplished on our own at any rate." Tracey nodded and gave Harry a gratious smile.

Hannah actually got up from her spot on the floor and hugged him much to Harry's surprise. The embrace was brief, largely due to Harry's obvious discomfort and embarrassment. He quickly excused himself, urging them to continue working on it, and he would check in on them in a few days to see how they were coming along.

When he was long gone, Susan began wolf whistling, and Mandy and Tracey were both grinning at Hannah who looked most pleased with herself.

"His body is super hard." Hannah observed with a very predatory grin.

"Oh I am so jealous of you." Susan remarked. "Gods I'd love to have him pin me against a wall and just ravage me."

Lisa feigned a smile but inwardly she really just wanted to rip out Hannah's hair.

"Excuse me, I think I need to go someplace quiet for a while." Hermione said, though she was smiling as well.

"Off to check the sturdiness of your wand?" Tracey quipped.

"Don't be crass." Hermione replied. "I want to try and clear my head and see if I can feel my magic."

"I'd like to feel Harry's magic." Susan sighed.

"Or check the sturdiness of his wand." Mandy added.

"Oh my god!" Tracey squealed with laughter. "I think you've been hanging out with these two too much.

"You girls are disgusting." Hermione called out which made four of the remaining five fall into peels of laughter.

Lisa decided that Hermione had the right idea, and left the four giggling girls to their dirty jokes and thinly veiled innuendos for the quiet sanctuary of her bedroom in the vein hope she would be able to clear her mind and feel her magic. Unfortunately her mind was plagued by images of a fresh out of the shower, barely dressed Harry coming into the kitchen where he took her on the table.

"Damn those bitches." Lisa cursed after two hours of trying to clear her mind.

* * *

Pansy collapsed onto the floor in front of her fireplace as she fell out of the floo. She was gasping for breath as she sobbed and retched. She began to scream as she tore at her Death Eater robes, struggling to free herself from them as if they were trying to smother her. With a shriek of rage she threw them as hard as she could before curling into a fetal position on the floor where she fell to pieces.

Never in her life had she felt such fear and relief. She had survived another day, but it had been extremely close. Too close. Pansy shut her eyes tight, trying to block out the memory of the screams and pleas.

Pansy had been working on what she was calling Plan B. A second way to gain access to the Dark Lord's private chambers to get her hands on the books and scrolls that the Dark Lord claimed contained the secrets to finding the Virgin Priestesses. These would be her bargaining chips to gain protection. She was certain, given how concerned the Dark Lord seemed to be with him, that the Vigilante everyone was talking about would be the one to protect her.

But in order to barter that protection, she needed that information. She had learned how to get into the chamber thanks to Lucious Malfoy. She'd had to manipulate the man physically to get him to lower his guard before she could use the Imperius Curse on him, and she had really loathed herself for it. She still gagged at the memory of it. Sometimes she swore she could still taste him in her mouth. She'd obliviated all memory of it from the man's mind, but she couldn't remove it from hers.

As she had been finishing the first of three pouches of Plan B, her Dark Mark had burned. She was being summoned to the Dark Lord. Pansy of course knew why. Tonight was the night that a new girl would be selected. Tonight, the Dark lord would conjure a special gold amulet that he would then give to one of his followers. The amulet would then lead him to the next girl who would serve as a sacrifice to the Dark Lord.

Pansy cursed when the Mark burned. She wasn't ready. She hadn't made contact with the Vigilante. She hadn't had time to plan her way into and out of the Dark Lord's Keep. And Pansy felt in her heart, that time was running out.

But she dare not keep the master waiting. He knew when someone was not present. He always knew. And those who kept the Dark Lord waiting, suffered for their insult. She'd seen it. It was a lesson she had never forgotten, and one she did not wish to learn personally.

So she donned her sacred black robes, and her bone white mask. And then, before she left, she had grabbed the only Plan B pouch that was ready, and stuffed it in her pocket before apparating to the Dark Lord's keep.

She arrived in what was called the Entrance Hall, even though there was no door leading outside. In fact, it seemed to be made for the sole purpose for apparition arrivals. There were many others there already, and more arriving by the second. Pansy quickly made her way into the grand hall, where all meetings and rituals took place. Two sides of the grand hall were built with risers. At the center of the hall were four columns that rose to the ceiling, where a large window opened to the night sky. Tonight was a new moon, which was the best night to create the divining amulet, according to the Dark Lord. There was a limited amount of time to find the girls and bring them back. So far as Pansy knew three amulets were still active. Hermione Granger, Mandy Brocklehurst, and Hannah Abbott had all escaped so far.

Marjorie Pucey, Marietta Edgecombe, Lilith Moon and Samantha Pike hadn't been lucky enough to escape. Pansy tried to fight down her fear as she wondered if tonight would be the night the Divining Amulet called to her magic.

"I wonder who it will be?" Someone behind her whispered.

"It doesn't give a name Zariah." Someone else said. "We won't know who it is until she's found."

"I wonder who will be given the honor to find her?" Another voice chimed in.

"I just hope whoever it is, is smart enough to avoid that fucking vigilante." Another person added. "I don't think I can watch another one go the way of Nott Jr."

"Rumor has it that the Aurors were made aware that the master is still alive. They're supposedly preparing for a much more aggressive hunt for all of us."

Pansy thought for a second about going straight to the Aurors, but knew it would be fruitless. She couldn't give them the location of the Dark Lord's keep. She still didn't have the information they would need. And she might be locked up for simply bearing the Mark. No, the Aurors weren't an option for her.

A hush fell over the mass as two great doors opened, and Lord Voldemort swept slowly into the room. He looked stronger than he did the last time Pansy had seen him, though he was still limping. The burns and wounds he had suffered facing Albus Dumbledore were looking better, and he looked less ghastly. His ghastly white skin now had some human color to it. Pansy couldn't be sure from her position, but it also looked like his face was different. Fuller, and she could see some darkness on his head that might have been hair.

Pansy couldn't contain the shudder. The power he was gaining from each girl was giving him youth again. It was undoing whatever it was that had turned him into that pale snakelike homunculus.

"Tonight, you have gathered once again to witness the call to one of the Oigh Ban-Dia. The Virgin priestesses. Tonight, I will call to them, and one shall answer. When she is found, she will be brought to us and prepared. On the night of the full moon, I will take her, body, magic and soul. I will take her power and make it my own." Voldemort said in a loud clear voice. Pansy began to tremble as Voldemort drew the now familiar scroll from his robes. He also drew his wand and conjured a large steel basin set on a tripod of wood with a flame beneath the steel bowl. Three robed and masked servants came forward, each bearing an item. The first approached the basin, and poured in a measure of gold jewelry. Pansy guessed it might have been from the woman's own private collection. Maybe family heirlooms. Lord Voldemort waved his wand and the fire grew. The woman who had dumped the gold in bowed low and backed away to take her place on the other side of the great room. Voldemort began to speak low. No one could hear what he was saying, but it was a signal, and every Death Eater began to chant.

"Usmi ziana ilati. Usmi ziana ilati."

Pansy kept her silence as she watch the second of the three robed servants approach. Lord Voldemort took a pouch from his robes, and dumped something into the basin. There was a puff of blue smoke before the servant dropped a brilliant red jewel into the basin. Voldemort waved his wand and the flames died down a bit. He waved his wand again, but Pansy didn't know what happened when he did that. She couldn't see well from her position, but her heart rate began to speed up. The ritual was nearly finished now. The chanting began to increase in volume, and Pansy began looking for the best way to escape. She knew that there were far too many Death Eaters between herself and the door. She reached into her robes and gripped the small pouch in her pocket. They would not take her. Not without serious injuries. She might even be lucky enough o kill a few of them as well. Though she wondered if it might be better until she was brought before the Dark Lord before she ignited the pouch in her pocket.

The third robed servant stepped forward, holding up a shining silver blade, which Voldemort took, slashing it across his own wrist. He held his open wound over the basin, allowing his blood to drop onto the gold. Thirteen drops exactly. There came a soft clanking sound from within the basin as the chanting grew in volume. Voldemort waved his wand over his wrist, and then began drawing intricate patterns over the bowl. Smoke began to billow out of it, and the clanking grew louder. And then, everything stopped. The chanting, the smoke, the metallic clanking. Everything was silent.

"It is done." Voldemort announced. He began to circle the basin, facing his followers, searching the masks for someone to wield the amulet and seek out the next victim. Pansy's heart was in her throat now as she watched others try to gain the honor.

"You." Voldemort pointed to someone, and a black robed figure stepped forward. Whomever it was knelt before the Dark Lord as words were exchanged too softly to hear. The robed person rose again on Voldemort's command and went to the basin, reaching in and drawing out a gold amulet with a red jewel in its center. The selected Death Eater tapped their wand to the jewel, and there was a flash of white light.

And then there was a long silence. The Death Eater seemed confused, and looked towards Lord Voldemort who came forward to gaze at the amulet. Pansy felt her heart trying to leap out of her chest. Her breath was coming in ragged gasps as she kept looking towards the door. Her grip on the pouch tightened, and she began to slip her wand out of her sleeve in readiness.

"My faithful, it seems we are blessed." Voldemort said at last, and the Death Eater at his side began moving towards Pansy. She slipped the pouch out of her robes, and gripped her wand. She didn't dare move yet, but with each step the chosen servant took, the more Pansy felt every muscle in her body tighten, readying for a fight.

"She is there." The servant said.

"NO!"

"It's wrong! It's wrong!"

"I'm not marked!"

Pansy was shocked when two rows in front of her there was a surge of movement, and three people began to fight against their fellows.

"The amulet is never wrong. Bring her forward so I may see for myself.' Lord Voldemort called out.

The girl who was still hooded was pulled away from what could only be her mother and father, who held tightly to their daughter's arms as she was torn away from them. The girl shrieked with fear while her father pleaded and her mother sobbed. The parents were held back by fellow death Eaters as their daughter was stripped of her mask and robes revealing soft gold blonde hair and an enviable figure.

Pansy recognized Daphne Greengrass immediately, and her heart sank. She knew Daphne well. They had been friends of a sort through school. The Greengrasses were supposed to be a neutral family, so Pansy couldn't help wonder how they had been convinced to join the Death Eaters. Pansy's only thought was that Voldemort had promised to spare the daughters. A promise the Dark Lord was now going back on.

Pansy felt the tears sting her eyes as Daphne was stripped to the waist and turned so that Voldemort could see the mark on Daphne's ribs. Daphne sobbed and pleaded for her life, but it fell on deaf ears as Voldemort ordered that Daphne be taken and prepared.

After that everything was fuzzy in Pansy's mind. She couldn't remember anything that happened after Daphne was taken away. All Pansy felt was gut churning guilt, and all consuming relief. She had managed to escape again, but Daphne Greengrass was going to be sacrificed in the most abhorrent way imaginable. Pansy thought briefly about helping Daphne, but could not think of a way that would not see both of them killed.

Pansy lay on her floor remembering Daphne's terrible screams as she was taken away. She remembered Daphne's parents begging for their daughter to be spared, and Lord Voldemort looking so pleased.

Pansy knew it would be useless to try break Daphne out. The Priestesses were guarded better than the most valued vaults in all of Gringotts. She knew that over the next two weeks, Daphne would be subjected to more than a few rituals to prepare her for the sacrifice. Pansy felt sick to think of what might happen to her former yearmate, and how useless she felt. She'd been so focused on self-preservation, she never once considered anyone else within the Death Eater ranks might have also been marked and fearing for their lives as well. But to speak on it would have given her away. From what she witnessed, Pansy didn't think Daphne had said anything to her parents. Pansy thought that if she had, then the Greengrasses would have run as far and as fast as they could.

Pansy drew herself up to a sitting position and looked around her house. She didn't have the option of running. She had no money. She had nothing, and it would take far too long and draw too much attention if she began selling off what little she had. She could get a lot of gold for the house itself, but again, people would notice, and suspicion was not something she needed.

Pansy got to her feet and stumbled slightly as she went to the liquor cabinet and opened a bottle, not even caring what it was. She drank down several healthy mouthfuls before replacing it and going to her discarded Death Eater robes where she drew out the small pouch she had very nearly used.

"I will not be taken." She said to herself.

Her resolve was strengthened again. She had to work harder and faster now, but she was determined to survive. She was determined to live, and she was determined to avenge Daphne Greengrass.


	20. Chapter 20

20

Pansy triple checked her supplies before closing her robes and grabbing the bone white mask hopefully for the very last time. Tonight was the night. If all went well, she would not be returning to this place. At least not until Lord Voldemort was gone forever.

She had to move fast though because she didn't know how much time she would have. With a shudder of fear, Pansy rolled up her sleeve and touched her wand to the Dark Mark, and was instantly transported to Lord Voldemort's keep.

She arrived in the same spot she always did, and saw that there were still Death Eaters there, waiting for their orders. Luckily there were so many masked and robed followers of the Dark Lord, that she wasn't even noticed. At least not yet.

Slipping past her fellow Death Eaters, Pansy came to the hall that led to the main gathering hall where all the rituals had taken place. Casting her eyes around to make sure she wasn't being observed, Pansy slipped into the gathering hall, and sprinted through the large empty room, wincing with every echo of her footfalls. Through the far door, Pansy went, and found herself on a landing. One stair case led down, where she knew the prisoners were kept, and the other up… to the Dark Lord's private chambers.

She knew that The Dark lord was already in London, preparing for the ambush he had been planning since the night of the last ritual. He had called his faithful to him the next night after Daphne Greengrass had been taken, and told them all that it was time to deal with the so called hero who was preventing him from completing hi resurrection. He was adamant that he alone had to deal with this vigilante, and that he must do it in a public place so the whole of the wizarding world understood that Lord Voldemort was truly a god.

Pansy paused only for a moment as she thought of the blonde haired girl who was in the cells below. Daphne Greengrass was being prepared for the ritual that would strengthen the Dark Lord further. Pansy placed on foot on the steps leading up and found herself torn. Daphne was a friend. A spoiled, arrogant, bitch to be sure, but a friend. And Pansy hated to think of what awaited Daphne.

But time was short. Pansy had to get her hands on the books and scrolls first, or there was no hope for her or anyone else. Pushing any other thoughts from her mind, Pansy sprinted up the staircase to the highest landing where only a single door stood between her, and potential freedom. Pansy slipped her wand out of her sleeve and tapped it against the door, repeating the password she'd learned from Lucius Malfoy that night she'd… pleasured him. Shuddering again at the memory, Pansy couldn't help but smile when the door opened.

The room was so similar to the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts, that Pansy found herself a little surprised at not seeing the portraits of past headmasters. There was a large chair in the center of the room and a large crystal scrying orb on a small table before the chair. All along the walls were floor to ceiling shelves that were weighed down by books and artifacts of power or so Pansy assumed.

Looking around quickly, Pansy saw two more doors. One of which led to the Dark Lord's inner chamber, and the other… was locked. Pansy tried several versions of an unlocking charm to no avail, which left her with only one option. Plan B.

She reached into her pocket and pulled one of the twelve volatile pouches she'd created and stuffed the pouch into the seam between the wall and the door, and lit the pouch with her wand before scrambling out of the room. The explosion was quite loud and Pansy knew that there was no way that it hadn't been heard. She slipped back into the now smoky room and went to the room, smiling when she saw the door was barely hanging on to one hinge. Vanishing the debris, Pansy entered the tiny room and had to fight down the eruption of joy in her heart.

There were only four shelves in the little closet and the third one had the treasure she was looking for. Three battered, old looking books, and seven ancient scrolls that looked ready to crumble to dust the moment she touched them. Pansy quickly grabbed them up and stuffed them into her magical bag. Only she would be able to retrieve them.

"Who's in here?"

Pansy froze. She thought she'd have a few seconds more to make her escape, but someone had been faster than she had expected.

"The Dark Lord is going to make you wish you'd never been born!"

Pansy gripped her wand, and launched herself out of the closet, firing spells blindly. The robed and masked figure was thrown out of the room and knocked out cold when their head hit the stone wall behind. Pansy leapt over the fat person's body and down the stairs. She stopped again on the landing that led to the gathering hall, and peered down the other staircase that led to the cells. Daphne Greengrass's face swam in front of her mind's eye, and her heart was filled with guilt. Pansy knew that she'd never be able to live with herself if she didn't try.

There were only four cells, as Lord Voldemort didn't like to take prisoners. Pansy crept to each door, and opened the eye slot to look inside. Daphne was in the third cell, naked and shivering. Pansy thought she heard Daphne crying softly as well.

"Daphne" Pansy asked softly when she opened the door. Daphne looked up and Pansy had to cover her mouth to prevent herself from screaming. The beautiful blonde had been partially tattooed already, and she looked truly terrified.

"Pansy?" Daphne choked out looking disbelievingly at the girl in front of her.

"Come on." Pansy urged, her mouth dry and her voice hoarse. "Come on, we're getting out of here."

Daphne slowly shook her head and held up her right arm. Pansy gasped when she saw it was covered in the runic tattoos that she knew were part of the ritual to transfer their power and life force to the Dark Lord.

"They did these first." She said, her voice scratchy and weak. "To make sure my parents couldn't free me. I can't leave this room until they take down the wards, and you and I both know only one person knows how that ward works."

"Bellatrix." Pansy muttered, tears leaking down her face. Bellatrix LeStrange was the one charged with the well-being of the virgin priestesses, and their preparation for the ritual. The woman was one of the Dark lord's most trusted, and quite the sadist. She was also incredibly intelligent and would have made sure there was no way for Daphne to escape.

"I'm as good as dead." Daphne sniffed.

"I… I can't… Daphne I don't know what to do." Pansy said, feeling herself beginning to break down. She hated that she couldn't help her friend.

Daphne turned and sort of fell onto the small ruin of a mattress and curled into a ball where she began to sob again.

"Daphne, I… What can I do? Tell me what to do!" Pansy started to say, but her voice cracked badly.

"Find Tori and tell her that I love her and that I'd sacrifice myself a thousand times over if it meant she would be safe. Please. Will you do that for me?" Daphne pleaded and Pansy covered her mouth as tears spilled down her cheeks and she stifled a sob. She gave a weak nod and Daphne gave her the saddest smile of gratitude that broke Pansy's heart into a thousand pieces.

"Now get out of here." Daphne urged.

Pansy heard something happening above her, and knew that she had to leave now. If they hadn't already, they would soon find and revive the guard, and he would tell them all someone had broken into the Dark Lord's chambers.

"Daphne, Daphne I'm so sorry." Pansy wailed as she turned and ran up the stairs. She made it into the Gathering Hall and nearly to the other end when she heard someone shouting after her. Three spells flew past her and slammed into the wall in front of her, breaking large chunks of stone out of it. Pansy poured on all her speed and made it through the door, locking it behind her. She knew it would only take a few seconds for whoever was pursuing her to get through, but a few seconds was all she needed. She took out another pouch and stuck it to the doors with a sticking charm.

The Death Eaters were gone now, save for whoever was behind her. That meant the trap had been sprung, which meant she had to hurry. The terror filled witch knew that she had to hurry. She still had to find and destroy the Anti-Apparition ward stone in Diagon Alley if her plan had any chance of success. Pansy made it to the apparition point just as the doors thundered as someone tried to open them to get to her. She leveled her wand and cast an incendio at the same moment she imagined the spot in Diagon Alley she wanted to be at. The last thing she saw and heard was the explosion of the Erumpet horn pouch which more than likely killed her two pursuers.

* * *

Harry Potter perched on the high rooftop overlooking the magical shopping district of Diagon Alley as the rain poured down. It was going to be harder to watch for Death Eaters with so many umbrellas being used, but Harry couldn't help that. Weather was beyond his control.

He had just arrived to his favorite spot, and had already found his target. Abel Maddox. The man was a brutish looking specimen, with a big square jaw, and thick brown hair. He was powerfully built, and well known for being a man who could acquire items that were not favorably looked upon by the government. Harry wanted him because he was known to associate with one Lucius Malfoy who was rumored to be part of Voldemort's inner circle, and until now had also been quite elusive.

Harry was also here tonight because of the news given to him two nights ago by Aurors Tonks and Shacklebolt. The Death Eaters were now hunting him. This meant a couple of things. One was that Voldemort was no longer worried about Madam Bones and the Aurors. It also meant that Voldemort was worried that with the vigilante in play, he may not be able to find the rest of the Oigh Ban-dia. Harry hoped that he would be able to force Voldemort into a confrontation and end the war he'd spent his whole life preparing for.

The last two nights, Harry had seen some suspicious activity within Diagon Alley by lesser Death Eaters. New recruits, Harry had guessed as none of them were anyone Harry had been able to gather intelligence on.

Sirius had been able to provide many pictures of alleged former Death Eaters, who now moved freely among society. Lucius Malfoy, Theodore Nott Sr. Rookwood, Avery, Dolohov, Rosier, The Carrows, MacNair. None of them had been seen outside of their so called normal jobs for a month now. In fact, the only Death Eater Harry could find with any sort of regularity was Peter Pettigrew, and Harry knew it was because he wasn't marked and therefore not under any suspicion. It didn't change the fact that Pettigrew was the reason for all of this, and would pay for his crimes, but Harry was waiting for that. He had something very special in mind for the man who'd betrayed his parents.

And so, Harry was now forced to simply wait and watch.

But his patience was beginning to wear thin. So tonight, he was going to find out where he could find one of the bigger fish, and Abel Maddox was the key. A little tenderizing and a dollop or two of the VERITAS rum that had been provided by Auror Tonks, and Harry was certain that by the end of the night he'd know where at least one of Voldemort's inner circle hung their hat.

Harry kept his eyes locked on Maddox who looked like he was waiting for someone. When the scum suddenly took an interest in a passing young woman, Harry's plan began to change. And when Harry spotted the gold amulet in Maddox's hand, Harry gripped his bow and began to reach for one of his incendiary arrows, but stopped suddenly.

The Death Eaters were hunting for him, and a few weeks ago, they had lured some poor sap into a conflict because they thought it had been him. It was then that Harry noticed three more people watching the girl. Two women and a man, all in different positions in the Alley. Harry didn't recognize any of them, and if they hadn't been so blatant with their interest, he would have missed them completely.

Everything began to fall into place in Harry's mind. The girl was pretty, young, and blonde. She also wasn't carrying an umbrella, almost guaranteeing that Harry would see her. The four people watching her were also without umbrellas. In fact, only Abel Maddox had his hood up, but not enough to hide his face.

It was a trap.

Harry lowered his bow slightly as he pondered what he should do. He knew that he could easily defeat four Death Eaters. Five if the girl was in fact part of it as Harry had begun to suspect. But Harry felt he might be missing something. There was more going on here. The Death Eaters might be simple minded, but they weren't completely stupid. They wouldn't try the same trick twice in the same place. And Harry could only think of one reason for tonight's charde.

Voldemort.

Harry had only ever heard stories of the Dark Lord. He was supposed to be quite powerful and ruthless. He was also quite the showman. He loved a spectacle. He was also impatient, and usually acted without true understanding of his actions. So Harry had to wonder if he was being set up as a player in a larger production.

If this was the case, Harry could potentially turn it all around and end this once and for all. If there was a chance to do that, Harry felt that he needed to take it. End the threat of another war and finally give the people peace. And get on with his own life. Find a nice girl and get Annalise off his back. Marry and have a family of his own.

But was it truly possible? Was Voldemort still weak enough from his last battle with Dumbledore that Harry would have little difficulty in handling him? Had the girls he'd taken given him enough power to make him formidable? Did Harry have the so called power that Voldemort didn't know to defeat him? And would the Death Eaters allow them to fight one on one, or would they intervene? From what Harry had heard, Voldemort had not allowed his followers to interfere during his battle with Dumbledore.

Harry knew that he wouldn't get any answers until he engaged the Dark Lord in combat. And that would only happen if he showed himself and appeared to fall into the trap that was being set. But before he did that, he would need to make sure that the innocent people got clear.

Harry gave the alley another good long look before standing up and aiming his bow to the heavens. He whispered his chosen spell and let the arrow fly. A bright explosion of light erupted, and made everyone look up. The light was blinding, and as it began to fade, a strange symbol appeared. To the casual observer, it was the Dark Mark. But to the Death Eaters, and the more observant, it was the Dark Mark on fire, crumbling to dust. The serpent beheaded.

Screams of fear erupted from the Alley below, and hundreds began disapparating, while others rushed themselves and their loved ones to the closest floos. Through the chaos, Harry could see Abel Maddox and his three cohorts, as well as several others he hadn't spotted before. Harry cursed himself inwardly for not being more observant.

When the Alley was mostly clear, Harry apparated himself into the middle, not to far from Able Maddox. The moment his feet hit the cobblestone street, he felt the anti-apparition wards go up. The hooded young man cursed himself for not anticipating that move, and for not waiting longer to allow more people to escape. The damage was done though.

"We were hoping you'd show up." Abel Maddox smiled. The young girl who Abel was so interested in was now behind Harry, her wand raised. Seven others surrounded Harry, all keeping their wands trained on him.

"I will make you all a deal. Answer my questions, and you may walk away with only a limp." Harry said, using the voice replication charm to disguise his voice.

"We ain't answerin nuthin" This was from the short heavyset man on Harry's left. Harry smirked to himself. He had never expected any of them to cooperate.

"Alright then." Harry nodded. "Which of you would like to be first?"

"First?" The blonde girl behind him asked with a bit of confusion. "What do you mean first?"

Harry moved like lightning and took down six of the eight Death Eaters using a combination of magic and throwing daggers. The ones left standing were the blonde who looked to be no older than twenty, and Abel Maddox who was staring at his fallen friends with a healthy amount of surprise and fear.

"I will say it again." Harry said. "Answer my questions, and I will let you live."

"I would be most pleased to answer your questions."

Harry turned and actually found himself taking a step back. He'd heard stories, but seeing him in person was a very different experience.

He actually coalesced out of the blackest smoke Harry had ever seen in his life. He was young looking, maybe in his forties, though Harry knew Voldemort was much older. This was clearly one of the effects of the Oigh Ban-Dia. He was tall and slender, with a face that may have once been handsome. His had half a nose, and his lips looked red and raw. He had very short black hair on his pale scalp. He was draped in black robes and the long skeletal fingers of his right hand delicately held his bone white wand.

"It is an honor to finally meet you in person after so many years." Voldemort said with a graceful bow. Harry saw black robed people emerging from the shadows on every side and surrounding him and the Dark Lord.

"Harry Potter." Voldemort finished with a low hiss.

The Death Eaters were clearly stunned by the last part and there was a wave of disbelieving murmuring. Harry grimaced slightly but gave a single nod before he reached up and lowered his hood. Cold red eyes met calculating green for the first time.

"For a very long time after that Halloween night, I could feel you, Harry Potter. I knew I had failed to defeat you. I always knew that one day you would return to try and avenge you blood traitor father and mud blood mother. And on that day I would finally kill you once and for all. I was certain that Dumbledore was hiding you from me just as he was hiding you from our world. But then… one day, I could no longer feel you. Your constant presence was suddenly… gone. I found it curious. Until the day I faced Albus Dumbledore for the last time, and he revealed that he had found and destroyed my safe guards. He very nearly defeated me that day. While I was recovering, I finally understood why I knew all those years that you had survived our first encounter. Somehow, I had created one last Horcrux in you." Voldemort said. Harry remained standing there, merely staring at Voldemort.

"I would very much like to know how you rid yourself of it. Was it Dumbledore's doing?" The Dark Lord hissed softly, and Harry merely smirked.

"He was right." Harry spoke gently as he shook his head. "For all your power you lack understanding. And quite frankly I don't have the time or the willingness to explain how things work to you. So what do you say we forget the banter, and just do what we came here to do?"

Harry's grip on his bow tightened as he took in everything. There were at least a hundred Death Eaters present and probably two hundred bystanders in the stores and flats surrounding them. The Aurors had likely been informed by now that there was something happening but Harry had no idea if they could get into the alley. He didn't know how big the Anti-Appartion ward was or if the floos were open. He wanted to focus solely on Voldemort, but there were too many Death Eaters around, and that meant too many variables.

"I don't think Dumbledore would like such rudeness from his protégé." Voldemort snapped.

"I wouldn't know." Harry replied. "I never met the man."

This intrigued Voldemort and he raised a questioning eyebrow. "Indeed. How curious. Regardless, I would still very much like to know how it was done and you will tell me now. Imperio!"

Harry shook his head and glowered at the Dark Lord. "That won't work."

Voldemort looked as if Harry had just slapped him. He glared at Harry for a moment before slashing his wand at Harry. Harry felt the spell embrace him and grimaced for a moment. The Dark Lord was trying to use the torture curse, but Harry's armor managed to protect him from most of it. Voldemort realized this almost immediately and lifted the spell.

"My turn." Harry said, and with the incredible speed and amazing precision sent an arrow into Voldemort's left shoulder. The was a collective gasp from the Death Eaters as Voldemort fell to his knees and his robes caught fire. Harry loosed a second arrow, but Voldemort seemed ready for it and conjured a shield that burned the arrow to ash in the blink of an eye. It also had the benefit of blinding Harry as well as the Death Eaters. Voldemort rose and extinguished the flames that ate at his robes, and vanished the arrow in his shoulder. Blood trickled from the wound, and this only seemed to enrage the Dark Lord even more. He snarled lightly and raised his wand.

Harry drew another arrow, but Voldemort was not about to allow any more chances for Harry to sow doubt about his strength or power in front of his followers. With a wave of his wand, Harry's bow turned to ash in his hands. Harry was stunned by this. His bow had been crafted to resist any sort of destructive spell. He knew at once that Voldemort's power was much greater than he had expected, but it didn't mean that he couldn't be defeated. He simply had to keep up the offensive.

Raising his hands Harry unleashed a series of powerful hexes and curses. This clearly surprised his foe, given his lack of a wand. However, Voldemort managed to stop the majority of the offensive spells with a shield, or by simply slapping the spells away. The few that managed to get past tore at Voldemort causing the wizard to snarl and shout curses.

Voldemort had to admit he was more than a little surprised by the raw power the boy was wielding. On top of that, he seemed to be casting extremely powerful spells without the aid of a wand. In his many years of study, Voldemort had never seen anything to show him wandless magic could be used so effectively. He began to wonder if the prophecy was indeed true, and Harry Potter was indeed the one who would destroy him.

But Voldemort could not allow anyone to make him look weak in front of his followers. Albus Dumbledore had already sown the seed of doubt among the Death Eaters. Voldemort had sworn that he would never allow himself to look weak in front of his faithful.

With a roar of fury, Voldemort unleashed a pulse of magic that hit Harry who was thrown backward and landed in a heap on the ground. Harry felt as if he'd been hit by a truck, and was struggling to breathe. He struggled to his feet and was hit a second time and thrown again. He landed hard on his left arm which cracked loudly. Harry bit down a scream of pain. His shoulder was dislocated for sure, and he thought his arm was broken as well. A third and fourth time he was hit, and with each spell, his armor seem to weaken. Harry sucked in a breath, knowing that Voldemort would have to be using an immense amount of energy to even begin weakening his armor. He smiled to himself knowing that the Dark Lord would exhaust himself long before his armor gave out.

"I am going to give you what you desire most, Harry Potter." Voldemort called. "Tonight, I shall reunite you with you wretched parents."

Harry got to his knees again, and noticed his chest armor felt strange. He looked and saw large tears in the dragon hide. This completely flummoxed him. Dragonhide was renown for it's resistant to magical damage. Yet his armor was torn. Perhaps the Dark Lord was stronger than he thought, or maybe the strength he had gained from the Oigh Ban-Dia was amplifying his already formidable power.

It was then that Harry thought it might be better to retreat and fight when the odds were more in his favor. His bow was gone, and he had very few blades remaining. There were at least a hundred Death Eaters surrounding them, and Harry was sure that if he managed to defeat Voldemort, the Death Eaters wouldn't just surrender.

Voldemort sent another spell at Harry who was ready this time, and fired his own spell. The two bolts of energy collided and made a spectacular explosion which shattered windows all along Diagon Alley. Three more times the combatants tried and three more times their spells impacted one another and sent waves of destructive energy up and down Diagon Alley.

The two combatants took a moment to size each other up, and that was when Harry noted how heavily Voldemort was breathing. We was tiring as fast as Harry was. Voldemort was trying hard to hide it, but Harry could see it. The Dark Lord was weakening.

Voldemort was tiring, and it truly puzzled him. All his research had told him he would have unlimited power. It then dawned on him that he had not taken enough power from the Oigh Ban-Dia yet. He was not fully healed, and his power was waning because he had not taken all the girls. He would only have unlimited power when he took it from all thirteen witches. If the battle with Potter didn't end soon, Voldemort would exhaust himself, and Potter would finish what Dumbledore could not.

But Lord Voldemort was not stupid, and he had already planned for this. He smirked at Potter and saluted him with his wand.

"It seems I underestimated you, Harry Potter." Voldemort said coldly. "I also realize that it would be wrong to kill you and deny another their revenge on you."

Voldemort lowered his wand, and Harry saw his robes shimmer slightly. Voldemort opened his robes, and saw something that made his blood run cold. It was twisted, and mangled. Hunched and scarred. The eyes were beetle black, and the fingers elongated and clawed. It looked at Harry and gave a roar of rage before launching itself at Harry. Harry raised his hands and fired a blasting hex at the thing which took the spell full in the face. But it appeared that the spell only enraged the beast further. It was on Harry in an instant, and Harry found himself on his back fending off the thing. Harry could see now up close that his blasting hex had done something. He could smell the burned flesh and see pieces of flesh torn away as the thing tried to bite Harry's face.

Harry got his right hand between himself and the thing and sent a powerful piercing hex into the beast's midsection. It howled as it fell off Harry and curled up for a moment. Harry got a good look at the thing as he got back to his feet. It was human, or it had been. It wasn't a werewolf, or any vampire Harry had ever seen. It was some kind of mutation. But Harry had no idea what it had been before.

His moment of contemplation had cost him as he was once again hit in the side with a powerful spell. Harry felt his armor being torn away. His right bracer took the brunt of the spell and fell away in strips of dragon hide. Fortunately his left bracer was intact, especially since that was the one with his wand which gave power to both bracers.

Harry went to draw his wand but the beast was on him again, and without his armor, the beast managed to tear at Harry's flesh. Harry punched and kicked as best as he could but couldn't use his magic. His left arm was still dislocated and couldn't move, and he couldn't get at his wand as his right hand was being used to pound at the beast.

Teeth sank into Harry's shoulder and he shouted in agony. The beast shook him, trying to tear a large chunk off of its prey. Harry reached down and found one last dagger on his leg and shoved it into the beast's throat. There was a gurgled whine as the beast stumbled back clawing at its throat trying to dislodge the blade. Harry pulled his wand and started to rise again only to be impacted in the chest with a Cruciatus curse.

The pain was immense, and Harry bit through his tongue in his torment. His muscles seized and his nerve endings felt as if they were made of fire. Harry felt his body rise in the air and fall back to earth, his ribs cracking and breaking. He could hear cheers and laughter, but all he could focus on was the pain. And then it was quite suddenly over, and chaos erupted all around him.

* * *

Pansy appeared at the far end of Diagon Alley. The anti-apparition wards had prevented her from getting any closer. She took a step and hissed with pain. Her ankle throbbed badly. Pansy quickly bent and felt it. It was starting to swell, and she figured she must have twisted it in when she had spun and disapparated out of Voldemort's Keep. She grimaced. This was a problem, but not something that would stop her. She was too close now.

She had worked hard in the last week to learn every detail of the Dark Lord's plan for tonight. She'd imperiused and obliviated at least half a dozen of those who would take part in the trap. So she knew that the ward stone would be placed near Gringott's, which sat in the center of Diagon Alley. She also knew there'd be at least two Death Eaters guarding it. Hobbling as fast as she could, Pansy approached the goblin bank, sticking to the shadows. As she drew closer she could hear the sound of combat, and see the flashes of hexes. She paused for a moment and conjured a splint for her ankle cursing herself for not learning basic healing spells. She was going to need to be quicker than she'd ever been in her life, and a twisted ankle could mean the difference between life and death for her and the vigilante.

When she was certain her ankle would be able to take her weight, she used a revealing spell to find the guards. Three of them were hidden in a small alley just behind Gringott's. Pansy knows that she will have to strike hard and fast and as she starts for the alley, she was surprised to see all three Death Eater guards standing in the open trying to get a glimpse at what was happening. All of them facing away from her.

Pansy knocked them all out and tied them up. Pansy took a second to try and calm her pounding heart, while she snapped the wands of the three Death Eaters. An unarmed Death Eater was no threat, and she wasn't sure how long they would be unconscious. Quickly she ducked into the alley to find the thing that would prevent her escape.

"Oh the Dark Lord isn't going to be happy with you lot." she whispered to herself. The stone wasn't hidden at all. It was set on the ground right in the middle of the street. Pansy blasted the stone to dust and quickly headed back to the main street. Hoping that everyone was too involved on the battle going on that they didn't notice the ward fall, Pansy adjusted her robes and mask, securing them in place as she rushed towards the crowd of black robes, and blended into the crowd. At first it was difficult as no one wanted to give up their spot. yet eventually she managed to get close to the action. Her heart leapt into her throat at the scene. Theodore Nott Jr., or rather, what used to be Theodore Nott Jr was writhing violently on top of a black leather clad figure, who was struggling to keep Nott at bay. Nott was clawing, biting and snarling as he... or rather it was growing more and more enraged as the vigilante struggled to prevent Nott from doing worse than tearing apart his armor.

And then quite suddenly, the vigilante thrusted his arm upward right into Nott's jaw. Nott fell back trying to scream, but instead choked on blood as its elongated hands clawed at its throat. Pansy saw the vigilante begin to rise, clearly fatigued, and wounded, yet looking a bit triumphant. The young witch could see that his left arm was hanging at his side, and guessed that it might be broken.

And then she saw the vigilante's face. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at him. He was young. No older than she was. Pansy looked around at the other Death Eaters as if one of them might explain it to her, but they were all to focused on the scene before them to end in his death, just as they had been promised.

A scream brought Pansy back to the battle. Lord Voldemort had his wand aimed at the vigilante who was being raised into the air, writhing in agony. Pansy knew exactly what was happening. It was the Dark Lord's favorite form of punishment. The Cruciatus Curse. It was in that moment that Pansy knew that she had to act. Shoving her hand into her pocket, Pansy pulled one of the remaining pouches of Erumpet horn explosive she'd made and lit it with her wand.

Throwing it hard at the Dark Lord, the pouch exploded launching the Dark Lord, and handful of his followers into the air. She wasted no time and lit and threw another pouch just as she heard the telltale sounds of apparition. Keeping low, Pansy rushed to the side of the fallen vigilante just as roughly two dozen Aurors arrived. Pansy wondered what the hell kept the magical officers, but she didn't waste too much time mulling that over. She slid to her knees and grabbed the Vigilante's arm. He looked at her weakly and Pansy wondered for a moment if he was going to kill her. However, before the vigilante could do anything, someone else had shoved her aside.

"NO!" She shouted, seeing someone bending and pulling her savior to his feet. Pansy launched herself at the pair, wrapping both arms around the waist of the man who'd been tortured by the Dark Lord, and did her best to apparate them to safety.

The apparition nearly ripped her apart. Her will struggles against another's as both tried and determine their destination. They twisted and turned, flipped and flopped through the void until they came crashing to earth once again.

They fell to the ground in a heap of limbs, with Pansy landing on top of the vigilante. She quickly rolled off of him to got to her feet. She only barely had time to turn around before the uninvited guest began firing off three piercing hexes which Pansy only just managed to avoid. It was then that Pansy got to see exactly who had tried to escape with the vigilante, and her heart tried to explode out of her chest. She had never seen Neville Longbottom looking so gallant, or angry in all her life, and all of her school girl feeling boiled to the surface, tempered only by the fear of him killing her.

She tore off her mask and fought against her robes so that she could reveal herself.

"WAIT! STOP!" Pansy shouted. Neville paused as Pansy held up her hands, and got her hood off. Neville stared at her, a storm of emotions rolling over his face. Pansy thought she saw a hint of surprise on his face, but it was quickly washed away by his determination to protect the wounded man between them.

"Please, just... just let me explain." She says quickly. "I need him."

Neville raised his wand preparing to strike again, but Pansy quickly added to her plea.

"Please Neville, I don't want to die, and he's the only one that can protect me."

The words hit Neville like a freight train, and he found himself staring at the girl strangely. Part of him thought it could be a trap, but another part saw the terror in her shining in her eyes. He wanted to blast her and be done with it, but her fear stopped him cold. He opened his mouth to ask for more information, but was halted when he heard a sick, choking cough. He looked down to see the wreck of a young man at his feet, blood spattered all over him.

"Shit!" Neville shouted. "He got splinched!"

Pansy saw it too. A large almost perfect scoop was missing out of his side with blood spilling out. Pansy knelt down and quickly conjured clean wraps which she then applied to his biggest wound.

"He was fighting us during apparition. I thought it was just you I was fighting but he was trying to get away from both of us. We might have gotten splinched too, but I don't feel anything wrong with me." Pansy stated, her voice shaking badly.

"We've got to get him out of here, I can't heal him." Neville stated matter of factly.

"I can't do it either." Pansy claimed

"Take my hand." Neville commands. "And this time don't fight me."

Pansy did as ordered and with a loud crack, the three disappeared again, leaving the field and reappearing inside a large sitting room.

"GRAN!" Neville shouts. "Gran we need help!"

Almost immediately Augusta Longbottom swept into the room. She took in the sight of a young woman in black robes standing next to her grandson who looked white as a sheet.

"What is going on here?" she demanded.

"Gran, he needs your help!" Neville said as he knelt down, and that was when Augusta Longbottom saw him for the first time.

"My gods, Neville!" She stammered in a shocked whisper. "That's him. That's Harry Potter!"

* * *

A heavy silence weighed on the two occupants of the Longbottom sitting room an hour later. Neville Longbottom sat across the room in a high-backed chair, his legs crossed and his wand in his hand, ready at any moment to hex the young woman who was doing her very best to avoid his cold hard stare. He was still wearing his father's old combat robes, trying not to think of the forty million things he should have done to get to Harry opotter sooner. Yet he'd been so enthralled with the battle between the last Potter scion and the Dark lord, he'd been seemingly frozen until the Dark Lord had been knocked back by distraction that he was now certain Pansy had caused.

Pansy Parkinson had done her best to show she was not a threat to anyone by placing her wand on the table in front of her, in plain sight of Neville. She had also rid herself of her Death Eater robes. She had wanted desperately to throw them into the fire and be done with it, except there was still things in the pockets she would need, but she didn't dare go through them now. Neville was already on edge with her in his house and she had no idea how Madam Longbottom would react if a Death Eater started rifling through her robes for what could be a weapon or poison or whatever. Best to just let things be for now.

Augusta Longbottom had taken the wounded and unconscious vigilante somewhere deeper in the house to hopefully heal him. Pansy had no idea how bad his wounds were yet, especially as she was actually more puzzled by the fact the Augusta had called him Harry Potter. Now everyone knew the story of the Potters, and how they had originally defeated the Dark Lord on Halloween night in 1981. All three Potters had been killed that night, or at least the world had believed that to be the case. Well except of course those weirdo conspiracy nut jobs.

Pansy grimaced inwardly a bit at that thought. Neville had been one of those weirdoes while they'd been in school. She remembered that he had been quite well known for his belief that Harry Potter had somehow survived the Dark Lord and been whisked away to parts unknown for his protection. Of course, when pressed, Neville could never provide convincing facts to back his claims, nor could he name anyone who would be able to back up the conspiracy. Neville had been ostracized throughout most of his school years for his belief.

And yet, there was a young man who could very well be the last Potter somewhere in the Longbottom house. Alive for the moment.

For what felt like the hundredth time Pansy turned to Neville and made to ask a question, but no words came. Her mouth opened, and the barest stunted sound came from her, but no words formed. She worked her jaw, trying to coax coherent sound to emerge while Neville simply glared malevolently at her as if she were some filthy wretch or some dangerous animal. Of course, she knew that he had no reason to trust her, or even be nice to her, but it still left her feeling tainted. She hated that feeling.

Finally, the silence was broken as Madam Longbottom entered the room looking quite worried.

"Alright, I've done what I could for him, but he needs much greater care than I can provide. I'm hesitant to call anyone however. I just don't know who we can trust right now." August said as she entered the sitting room. "Have you checked yourself for any splinching Neville?"

"I'm ok." Neville said, sounding a little more relaxed now that his Gran was in the room. likely because now the odds were a bit more in his favor should the Death Eater try anything funny. Pansy hated that they were so suspicious of her, even though they had every reason to be.

"And what about you Miss Parkinson? Are you hurt in any way?" Augusta asked. Pansy must have looked surprised at being recognized but Augusta brushed it off with a look that made Pansy shrink back a bit.

"I-I'm fine." She squeaked.

"Very good, now then, can you explain to me why my grandson allowed a Death Eater into our home, or why I shouldn't body bind you and hand you to the Aurors?" Augusta asked, any tone of concern for the girl's well-being evaporating. Pansy did note the sidelong glance the Longbottom matriarch gave to Neville who hadn't stopped staring at her.

"Actually, former Death Eater." Pansy stated flatly, avoiding the stares. "I never wanted to be one in the first place, but I had my duty to the family to perform. Or so my father often reminded me."

Augusta made a sour face at that bit. Pansy wondered how well Madam Longbottom knew her father, or if she was aware of what kind of man he truly was.

"I've been looking for a way out since before I was gifted with the Dark Mark, but my father made sure I remained loyal to the family name. When he was killed... I thought I would finally be free to determine my own destiny. I had already been tossed aside by the person I was supposed to marry, and all but forgotten among my friends. I was completely alone in a sea of fanatics and I wanted my life to be my own. I was so close..."

Pansy sighed heavily, and her emotions came in a tidal wave, and she found she couldn't stop them. Tears began to sting her eyes and her throat seemed to tighten. Her chest felt constricted and her heart was racing now. It was slowly beginning to sink in. Everything she had done tonight. She'd made a bold statement to the Dark Lord, and she knew he would be looking for retribution, especially when he learned of the extent of her treachery.

"I stood against You-Know-Who tonight. I stole from him. Something extremely valuable, and I saved the that boy from him."

"I saved him." Neville snapped bitterly, but Pansy shook her head slowly.

"You only reached him because of my distraction." Pansy said, having figured out how Neville had managed to get so close to the vigilante during the chaos."

"You can argue semantics later." Augusta said forcefully, causing both Pansy and Neville to back down. "What was it you stole?"

"Information." Pansy stated. "Something the our friend upstairs can use to fight the Dark Lord."

"May I see this information?" Augusta asked.

Pansy hesitated, looking to Neville and then to Augusta, her mind working feverishly. She wanted to show them that she could be trusted, and in order to do that, she would have to offer them something. Trust them with something. Yet, she couldn't risk giving up her only bargaining chip. They could easily take it from her, and hand her to the Aurors, and then present it to the vigilante as if they had taken it. She just couldn't take that risk. Then again, her wand was on the table in front of her, and Neville had his in his hand. They could just stun her and go through her things until they found it. Except only she could open the pouch at her side where the scrolls and books were.

Pansy then realized she had spent far too much time among Death Eaters and that she was extremely paranoid. And yet...

"I'm sorry." She shook her head. "I want to trust you, I really do. And I want you to trust me, but... It's all I have to ensure my survival. I risked everything tonight to get it, and I'm not free yet. They're going to hunt for me, and they won't stop until I'm dead."

Augusta looked to her grandson who gave the barest of shrugs. Augusta clearly wasn't pleased, and yet she looked to Pansy as if she understood. Pansy sighed heavily and wiped at her eyes, hating how pathetic she felt in front of Lady Longbottom and especially Neville. She still had no idea why all those old feelings about him were coming back, and she really didn't have the time to process any of it. All she wanted was for the vigilante to be awake so she could ask him to protect her. Strange considering how he had fared against the Dark Lord less than an hour ago. Yet she still felt he was her best hope.

"Perhaps you'd like to explain a little more about why you chose to betray your fellow Death Eaters?" Augusta pressed. Pansy gave a nod and took another deep breath trying to calm herself.

"Like I said, I never wanted to be one of them. My father wouldn't let me disgrace the family name though. Then he was killed, and I thought that maybe the Dark Lord would meet his end when he went off to face Dumbledore. I prayed and prayed that Dumbledore would end it that night. Then I'd be free at last."

Pansy took in a shaky breath, trying to calm herself as the tears stung at her eyes. She was exhausted from spending so much time preparing, and she was struggling to control the storm of emotions stirring inside her. Worst of all, she wanted to run and keep on running. She felt like she was a sitting target, just waiting to be found and taken back to pay for her crimes.

" I thought for sure that he was going to die when he was brought back that night. But... He didn't die. He survived somehow, and he had a plan. He always has a plan. And even though he was weak... he managed to perform the first ritual. The one to identify us. The thirteen girls who would make him stronger than he'd ever been. I thought it was some desperate last-ditch effort to keep himself from dying. But that night when I got back home, I saw it. The mark he said would appear."

Pansy stood and pulled up her shirt exposing a large expanse of bare skin as well as her black lace bra. Neville blushed and tried to look away like a gentleman, but Augusta rose from her seat and came for a closer look at the oval with the off-center cross. the old woman gave Pansy a look of deepest curiosity, and there was something else in her sharp eyes. Perhaps... sympathy? Or maybe pity?

"It took a little while to find the first one. Samantha Pike. She was in our year at Hogwarts, or maybe a year ahead of us. I can't really remember." Pansy paused here, and Neville could see how badly she was shaking. He knew that whatever it was that had happened had haunted her badly. He wanted to know what it was, but a part of him didn't want her to relive it. He didn't want her to suffer any more than she had. His Gran looked equally conflicted.

"When they brought her into the hall, she was naked and covered in writing. She looked so afraid and she just sobbed and sobbed. The Dark Lord took her in front of all of us. He had to be helped because he was so weak. He took her virtue and her life all at the same time, right there in front of us, and I just watched. Like some idiot child, I watched him rape her, and kill her, and I did nothing. I saw what was going to happen to me and I... I did nothing. she was followed by Lilith Moon, and then Marjorie Pucey, Marietta Edgecombe... and now..."

Pansy broke, and began sobbing. Great wracking sobs that shook her. She began to crumple in on herself, and Augusta found herself wrapping a protective arm around the girl. Pansy didn't pull away. She was so overcome by her flood of emotions that she couldn't fight them. Augusta knew that they had to run their course. She looked to Neville and motioned with her head towards the door. Neville rose, knowing what his Grandmother wanted from him. He ran to the kitchens and asked the house elf, Kirby, to prepare a cup of tea. Neville returned with the steaming mug to find Augusta sitting next to Pansy, holding her hands in hers while Pansy nodded to whatever Augusta was saying.

Neville entered and offered the cup of steaming tea to Pansy who took it in trembling hands and sipped at it. Augusta turned to her grandson and gave him a grave stare.

"Miss Parkinson is now under our protection." She said and Neville nodded. "We are going to do all we can to ensure her safety while she remains under our roof. Tomorrow I will try and seek out a trustworthy healer to see to our other guest."

Neville could only nod. He knew that he should feel happy that he'd been vindicated about Harry Potter being alive and all, but right now he couldn't help but think about how deep he and his Grandmother had just gotten involved in the war.

Neville knew that he needed to be much more prepared for the fight he was heading for, and at that moment he knew of only one person who might be able to prepare him, and he was lying in a bed badly injured at the moment.

* * *

The next afternoon, Remus made his way up the stairs to the attice where Harry had made his living quarters. He held a large tray of food and a copy of the morning edition of The Daily Prophet. The werewolf made it to the top of the stairs and placed the platter of food on a small table where Harry usually ate. There was a large stack of parchment with notes Harry had been making, as well as a few newspaper clippings. Remus turned to go to wake Harry and stopped short. Harry wasn't in his bed. Nor was he in the attic. The bathroom door was open, and there weren't any places for him to hide. Harry's armor and some of his weapons were gone as well.

Remus went to the window and checked it, finding it still open. Harry's normal habit was to apparate a block or so away and climb over roof tops to come in through the window. Remus never understood it as when Harry apparated he made nearly no noise at all. He could come and go without any of the occupants of the house knowing. Yet he preferred to go in and out the window. But Harry only left the window open when he was out. And Harry never when the sun was up.

Something wasn't right. Remus didn't consider himself a panicky person, but this just felt wrong. He quickly started to make his way downstairs and began to sprint when he heard glass breaking and a scream. Remus arrived in the kitchen to find all seven girls looking at the morning edition of The Daily Prophet. All of them had expressions ranging from quite worried, to completely terrified. Remus approached and felt his own gut tighten.

HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED ALIVE!

Death Eaters wreak havoc in Diagon Alley!

A large picture of Lord Voldermort was below the headline. Remus found himself quite stunned by the appearance of the Dark Lord. He looked very different from his last ascension. He had hair now, and it looked as if his nose was growing back, but the eyes were still bright red.

Remus didn't even try and comfort the girls or assure them that they were safe. He turned and made his way to the study, grabbing a handful of floo powder and throwing it into the fire before calling out his destination. He knelt and placed his face in the flames, not noticing two people standing in the doorway behind him.

"Sirius!" he called. A moment passed and then Sirius's face appeared.

"Remus? Did you see the Prophet this morning? Quite a move. I didn't think the rat would…" Sirius began but was cut off by Remus.

"Harry didn't come home last night." Remus said quickly. Sirius went pale. Silence rang heavy for several seconds before Sirius told Remus to give him fifteen minutes. Remus nodded and pulled his head from the flames. He got to his feet and turned only to stop short when he saw two of the girls standing there looking at him very curiously. Hermione and Lisa stood there staring at him and Remus felt his throat tighten slightly under their stares.

"Harry didn't come home?" Lisa asked.

* * *

Neville woke with a start and after a moment to settle himself he slipped off his bed and headed towards the kitchen. The house itself was quiet, and when he came to the kitchen, the house elves informed him that his grandmother had gone on an errand. Neville figured that she must be looking for a healer for Harry Potter. Neville decided he should go check on their guests.

He opened the door to Potter's room, and was a little surprised to find Pansy sitting next to Potter, watching him with a little sadness in her eyes. She looked up at him and quickly wiped at her eyes.

"He hasn't moved or anything, but your Gran said that he's stable for the moment. She gave him a pretty strong dose of something that would make him sleep." She said. Neville only nodded and the fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Neville kept his eyes on Potter, but he was actually watching Pansy. She just sat there, looking uncomfortable. He realized that she knew he was watching her and he felt a little shame for being suspicious of her. After all, she was under House Longbottom's protection.

At the same time, she was still a Death Eater. Sure, she claimed she had defected, but so many Death Eaters had claimed they were all under the imperius curse before.

"It must be a nice feeling to be vindicated like this." Pansy said breaking the silence. Neville looked up with questioning eyes and Pansy motioned to the young man lying on the bed. "You always said Potter was alive, and now, here he is. You were right all along. Gods, the hell you took in school. People thought you were insane for saying he was alive."

"I know what people thought, but I didn't care. The truth was there for anyone to see, but it's easier to believe what's rammed down our throats." Neville said gruffly.

"How did you do it? Get through all the ridicule and pranks, and bullying? Draco Malfoy was so... so evil to you. I mean everyone was pretty brutal on you, but he was the worst." Pansy asked, looking at Neville. He gave a long sigh and shook his head.

"I don't know." he said softly. "People like Malfoy would have harassed me even without the whole conspiracy nut thing I had. I was an easy target for those first few years. I was so awkward and forgetful and just... I don't know. Even people in Gryffindor made fun of me. I didn't have a lot of friends for a while. In fact, in First year I didn't have any. When Ginny Weasley started, she and I sort of found each other. And then Hermione Granger started talking to me. Colin Creevey and Kevin Entwhistle. By third year I had a nice circle of friends, but it was fourth year I started to blossom as my Gran calls it. Going to the Yule Ball with Ginny really opened other girls' eyes about me I guess. At least that's what Hannah Abbott told me."

"She wasn't wrong." Pansy said, and immediately felt her face heat up. Neville cocked his head in a questioning manner and Pansy took a deep breath.

"I... I sort of had a crush on you. A really big one." she confessed, and was surprised how good it felt to tell him, despite being completely mortified. She couldn't look at him at the moment, and focused on the pretty blue blanket that covered Potter.

"You?" Neville scoffed. "You were Draco's girlfriend practically from the beginning."

"No." Pansy shook her head. "I was ordered by my father to seek out the richest most eligible boy and start sowing the seeds of union. Draco and I didn't start officially dating until fifth year. By third year, I knew what kind of person Draco was, and I wanted nothing to do with him. When we started fourth year, I saw how you'd changed. You'd lost a lot of your baby fat, and you were starting to show that you could handle more than people gave you credit for. Your power was growing to. You were messing up less and less, and you were becoming more confident. At least you appeared like you were. But more than anything, I saw how kind you were, and I wanted someone like that. Someone who would treat me like a person, and not..." She hesitated and Neville nodded his understanding.

"I actually tried to talk to you once. Well, I had planned to try." She continued. "I was so jealous of Weasley at the Yule Ball. A lot of girls were. I overheard a few girls say they wished their dates had been more like you. At the end of that year, I thought I would spend the summer to build up my courage and talk to you on the train straightaway when fifth year started, but... my father made sure that didn't happen."

"Why? What'd he do?" Neville asked. Pansy started to shake a little, and she rubbed at her eyes again. Neville started to feel something building in his chest. something that wanted to go to Pansy and comfort her.

"I went to a friend's house for the first two weeks of summer and while I was away, my dearest father took it upon himself to read my diary. When I got home... he... he made sure I understood that I had a duty to the family, and that what I wanted wasn't important and it never would be. He had started negotiations with Lucius Malfoy to arrange a marriage, and I was to begin a romantic relationship with Draco. I didn't have any other choice. So, I buried everything I felt for you, or anyone else and told myself that it was all schoolgirl fantasy and that I was going to do what I had to do."

Neville couldn't say anything, but he wanted to ask what it was her father had done, though he felt it would sicken him to find out. The way she avoided his eyes spoke volumes about what she had endured. He also began to recall that people had noted a change in the Slytherin Princess.

"People said that you had changed." He said aloud.

"I sort of withdrew." Pansy said with a soft nod. "I became the perfect girlfriend. Laughed at all the jokes, never spoke out of turn, was always at his side, but never stole his thunder. And I hated every single second of it. I can't tell you how many times I cried, or wanted to kill him and a few others. And with each year, it got worse. and then... during the Easter break I was forced to take the mark. after that, things went from bad to worse. My father was killed by the Dark Lord two weeks later, and Draco announced that he would not be marrying me. Then Dumbledore died, and the Dark Lord lived. I saw my future and I could only see two options, permanent enslavement or death. And then... this happened."

Neville noted how she motioned to her left side where the mark lay underneath her shirt along with that lacy black bra. Neville shoved that thought away, telling himself that now was not the time, and she was not the girl to have such thoughts about.

Instead he focused on the mark itself. The mark that identified her as one of Voldemort's future victims, though he was still unclear what it all meant.

"It was a death sentence, and I've only just turned eighteen. I haven't had a chance to live my life yet. I haven't done anything yet." Pansy continued.

"So, you started to plan an escape." Neville nodded in understanding. "I'm sorry that this all happened to you."

"Thank you." Pansy said softly, and the two lapsed into silence. Neville deciding that the awkwardness was getting to be too much offered to go get Pansy some food. Pansy thanked him and when he was gone, turned back to stare at the man on the bed.

"Please wake up soon." She thought. "You've got to wake up and kill him so I can be free at last. Please, please wake up. I don't want to die."

* * *

Pansy started and sat up feeling slightly embarrassed. She had fallen asleep in her chair. She really shouldn't have been surprised given how tired she was now. The last twenty-four hours had been truly exhausting and even though she'd been given a bedroom the previous night, she had been unable to sleep.

She knew that the Dark Lord had learned of her betrayal. She had felt her Dark Mark burn when her former master called his followers. When she didn't show up, she knew he would know it was she who had betrayed him. Pansy wasn't sure if he could track her, but given there had been no Death Eaters popping into Neville's home, she felt fairly sure he didn't know where she was. At least for now.

But she didn't want to stay there much longer. Eventually they would find her.

Trying to stretch and work out the kinks in her back, Pansy glanced at the still form of the man Neville claimed was Harry Potter. He still looked pale and waxy. He was also covered in a fine sheen of sweat, despite the coolness in the room. Pansy was sure the wounds he had suffered were becoming infected. He needed real medical attention and soon. While Madam Longbottom had managed to dress his wounds, she had said that she was no healer, and that was why she had gone to find someone she could trust to take care of the young man.

Pansy had started to look away when Harry gave a low moan. Pansy, thinking he might be waking up, got up and went to his side. As she rose, Harry began to move about, with growing agitation, and his moans began to take on more urgency, as if he were in great pain. Pansy began calling out for Neville as she came to Harry's side. She was afraid the he might undo all the work Madam Longbottom had done to close his wounds with how much he was beginning to thrash about. Pansy began trying to calm the young man using what she hoped was a soothing tone as she tried to reassure him that he was safe, all as her own panic began to build.

Pansy reached out, placing her hand on the man's shoulder, hoping that it would ease him somehow. The moment her hand made contact, Harry stopped moving... for a moment. His brilliant green eyes opened in a flash, and he looked into Pansy' eyes. In that moment, she felt as if he was looking right through her. his hand wrapped around her wrist like a vice, and he bent her arm back, making her scream as he rolled himself, and threw her over the bed. She crashed into the night table and rolled onto her side, grasping for her ribs. Potter was sitting up now, and Pansy saw his fresh bandage was beginning to redden.

"NEVILLE!" She shouted for the fourth or fifth time.

Potter was on his feet as Neville appeared in the door way. He held up his hands to show he was not going to hurt Harry and tried to calm his guest.

"Harry, my name is Neville Longbottom. You're in my house. You were hurt pretty badly, but you're safe now. You need to settle down and relax. We're trying to…"

Harry gave an animalistic snarl and charged Neville, tackling him around the waist and driving him through the doorway and into the wall across the hall. Pansy was on her feet chasing the two out of the room, grabbing Harry's arm as he pulled back to punch Neville. Harry twisted around and his cold eyes locked onto Pansy again. She didn't have time to react as he yanked his arm free while he shoved her off. He turned his attention back to Neville, who had been forced to punch Potter in the bandage, forcing Potter to reel back, gasping in severe pain. Pansy launched herself at Potter as Neville tackled the him around the feet.

All at once, the world swam and Pansy felt the unmistakable feeling of being squeezed through a tube. They were apparating. Pansy fell off of Harry as they landed in an unfamiliar room. She heard Harry and Neville tussling nearby, but it sounded as if they were just trying to separate. Pansy took a quick look around, trying to keep her eye on Harry as he and Neville got up. Harry couldn't seem to get on his feet, and was panting, and holding his now blood-soaked bandage. Blood was covering Harry's hand, and Pansy thought she saw a yellowish pus like fluid mixed in as well.

"We need to get you back." Neville said panting. "We need to get you help."

"No." Harry countered defensively, and moved back from Neville on his hands and knees.

"Harry, look, you..."

"NO!" Harry shouted. "Downstairs."

Neville looked confused, but Pansy saw the door.

"Get help..." Harry gasped as he started to crumble to the floor. Neville was at his side, trying to help him. Pansy sprinted across the room to the door, flung it open and leapt down the stair case, opening the door at the bottom.

"SOMEONE! WE NEED HELP!" She shouted.


End file.
